2,000 research outputs found
George Oliver Webster Correspondence
No full textEntries include brief biographical information, a typed letter introducing Webster to the Maine Author collection, and a typed letter from the Maine State Library on receipt of his historical novel Pentagoet for the Maine Author Collection with notice that a description of the book would appear in the Maine Library Association Bulletin
Teamroom Caverns: Looking at Learning in a Whole Language First/Second Multi-age Classroom
No full textHistoric Webster Vol. 1 No. 3
No full textHistoric Webster is a newsletter of the Webster Historical Society, Inc., created at the Society’s founding in 1974. The publication helped to serve the Society's mission of collecting and preserving the history of Webster, North Carolina. Webster, established in 1851, was the original county seat for Jackson County.'VOLUME I NUMBER 3
Cook6ook Will Be
Ready 9n o lie :Jall
A cookbook containing mouthwatering local recipes,
pen and ink drawings of Webster, and "Growing Up
in Webster" sketches will be on sale in the fall.
Tho rocipe book1 which is being compiled by Florence
and Joe Parker Rhinehart , will have a hard
cover with a color picture of Webster as the dust
jacket. Joe Parker estimates that it will have approximately
200 pages, The book will be printed
in brown ink on off white paper, and will have a brown
cloth cover with a sketch of the former Jackson County
courthouse,
Original sketches of people and places in Webster
will be featured at the beginning of each of the II
divisions of the book, as well a throughout the 250
odd recipes.
A short history of the town accompanied by a
sketch of the courthouse will begin the book, Then,
in addition to the delicious recipes, the cookbook will
feature character sketches of some of the donating
cooks and several "growing Up in Webster" stories
written by Webster women of different generations,
Mildred Cowan, Mary Morris and other women who
grew up in Webster will be contributing their accounts ~
The book will conclude with a feature menu for
Christmas dinner with recipes, accompanied by a
story about Old Webster at Christmastime,
The recipes in the book were collected from cooks
in the area by Joe's mother, Kate Rhinehart, Florence
Rhinehart will draw the pen and ink sketches.
The price of the book has not yet been determined,
but it is estimated at 5 or be placed in a makeshift
"jail" on the school grounds, .
other harpenings at the July event will include
board splitt'ng lessons, booths of all sorts, sales of
cookies and cakes, old fashioned bonnets, a varied
display of mountain cr afts, and of course entertainment.
If you have suggestions for additional activities at
the Independence Day fest, contact Paul and Linda
Cowan, co-chairmen of the Special Events. and Projects
Comm ;:tee,
Webster, North Carolina
EDD DOUGLAS DAVIS
olie :Jirst Sheriff
of ~ackson County
Edd Doug Davis, known as Doog Davis, became in
1853 the first sheriff of Jackson County, With the
exce~ti.on of the period he lived, while sheriff, in
the Jail at Webster, he spent his adult life on his
large farm located between Webster and Cullowhee
Today this area is called Rolling Green, '
Sher iff ~Alvi s and his wife Nancy Allen, daughter
of Nathan Allen of Webster, were the parents of
seve~ sons and two daughters" Mro Davis, who died
at h~s home August 25, 1911, is buried in the family
P!ot m Webster Cemetery along with his sife, two of
his sons, Nathan A, and Joe W, and other members
of later generations of llivises,
The copy of the JACKSON COUNTY JOURNAL
from which the article is reprinted, and the tin-type
picture of Mr , ~Alvis reproduced here ar e are owned
by Cather ine ~Alvis of Big Ridge, Catherine is a
granddaughter of Sheriff Doug ~Alvis,
The following article was taken from THE JACKSON
COUNTY JOURNAL dated January 29 1906 - Webster
N,C, - Mr, E, D, ~Alvis ' '
AUTOBIOGRAPHY
The author of this article was born in Buncombe
County <now Transylvania) Sept, 4, 1827, My father
lived where the late George C, Neil lived to the time
of his death, on what was then known as Lamb's Cr rek
which was a tributary of Fr ench Broad river, It~
head waters were near where llividson's river has
its source, with which it ran parallel, but being much
smaller, It was then known as Ben llividson's river
but of late years the "Ben" has been dropped,
Ther e has been a postoffice at this place for more
than seventy years" Davidson's River postmaster,
Ben .lli vidson, was my great-grandfather.
When I attended school the course embraced
reading, writing, and arithmetic, My teachers were
Turn to page four , , , •
~ ·'We6ster 9s ~ackson County's Hometown"
April 1974
A fetter
:Jrom the President
Dear Friends,
"A journey of a thousand miles begins with one
step" and that step in compiling and collecting the
history of Jackson County has resulted in 5,000 copies
each of three newsletters of the Webster Historic
Society; nearly 300 members and ll3,500 to the Jackson County Board of Education
for the old Webster Elementary School because an
an idea whose time has come can't help but succeed.
The school will become the Jackson County Museum
of Living History. The fund-raising committee needs
your help with the Webster idea. If you know wher e
money is a·.11ilable - from individuals, corporations
foundations, etc. - tell us - we'll contact theU.:'
Many grants have already been applied for from foundations
and other sour ces such as the Bicentennial
Commission in N.C. and the America the Beautiful
Fund,
We are hopeful that the County budget for the
1974-75 fiscal year will include a generous donation
toward the effort to preserve Jackson County's History,
But for many of these potential grants we need
non-federal matching funds, '
Th.e next newsletter will be sent only to the membership
of the Webster Historical Society, If you
have not joined but are "infected by the contagious
~n?'usiasm" as the honorable Hamilton Hayes wrote,
JOm. no:v, Send 5.00 yearly
Associate (outside Western N.C.): 10.00 yearly
Supporting: 30.00 yearly
Life: 1.00 a day to begin with) for her little family,
During the thirty-four years that mother was postmaster
the Post Office was in three locations: first,
in a little building where Mr. Baker's shop and apartment
are now located; next in the old Masonic build·
ing between our place and the home of Mrs, Nancy
Ensley Potts; then back to the Baker Upholstery Shop
location; and last to the little building in the corner
of her yard across the lane from the Monteith home.
Because of the necessity of having the office convieniently
close to our home, the location changed as we
moved, The family moved from our old home (built
by Dr. C.Z. Candler's father at about the time of
the civil war) to Uncle Andy's house , then to the
Aunt Hicks Wilson house <now owned by the Potts)
later to the old jail <Mrs, Margie Penland's place)
which was the principal's home when my sister ,
Mrs. Ruth Allison Morris, was principal of Webster
High School, and finally to mother 's new home, built
after the old Candler house was torn down , on the
same lot which she had owned since my father's
dea.th,
When my mother was postmaster she loved her
work (though it did get aggravating at times she said)
and it enable her to make a living in her own yard
for the most part. She could keep an eye on Ruth,
Uln and me as we grew up, and grandpa too when
he was sick, while she looked after the post office
which was the social, as well as news center for the
community. Sometimes when we all gathered to watch
little Oscar Coward buck dance in the post office
vestibule things would get too noisy and we would
all be sent outside so my mother could do her work,
She wrote and read letters and orders for a few of
the patrons who could neither r ead nor write, and in
emergencies would open up the post offic e at night
and on holidays to better ser ve the community, Service,
honesty, integrity and independence wer e virtues of
great value to her, as they had been to her Godfearing
pioneering ancestors,
During the thirty-four years that my mother
was postmaster she was assisted to some extent
by the following : George Self, grandpa Moor e, my
sister Ruth, Mrs, Margie Penland, Mrs, Evelyn McKee,
Mr. Dan Cowan. When I became old enough I was
officially made assistant, or r eplacement, so I could
substitute occasionally when she was sick or away,
Dear to all of our hearts was the mail carrier, Arthur
Allman, who was always kind, cheerful, accomodating
and generous with rides to and fr om Sylva in his
truck for all of us.
HISTORIC WEJ~STER April 1974 Page 3
The Webster "Mail Box"
Some people have called the Webster Post Office
the "Mail Box" and frequently someone laughingly
remarks that it is surely the smallest post office
in the United States, They seem disappointed when we
tell them there are other smaller. We enjoy our
rather unique building, However, the size of the
building does not designate the size of the Post Office
housed therein.
The Webster Post Office is the oldest office in Jackson
County, It was established as Scott's Creek
(Haywood County) April 5, 1828. Jackson County
had not been established at that time, The Haywood
County and Macon County line was at that time the
Tuckaseigee River at Webster, The first postmaster
was Ulniel Brisson, appointed April 5, 1828, He
was succeeded by Samuel B, -Bragg December 17,
1828, The office was later discontinued for a brief
time and reestablished May 24, 1832 as Scott's Creek.
At that time William Thomas was installed as
postmaster serving till January 27, 1843, Thomas
was succeded by Allan Fisher.
When Mr. Fisher took the office he had a store
in Lovesfield, said to have been located near the
intersection of what is now highway 107 and ll6,
Presumable the post office was operated in his store,
The name of the post office was changed to Webster
on November 28, 1857 while Mr, Fisher was still
postmaster, He ser ved the office for 22 years which
was the longest time any postmaster served until
Mr s, Eugenia M. Allison was the postmaster in later
years. The second court held in Jackson County
was held also in this store. A great-grandson of his,
Mr. Allen Bergin Fisher, Sr .. , now lives in Addie
Community, Route I, Sylva, N, C.
On September 21, 1865 a Mr. George w. Stake
became postmaster and served until April 15, 1873,
Postmaster Cannon was the father of the late Lewis
Cannon of Webster . He was the grandfather of James
~ann?n of Cannon Brothers Gas and Oil Company
m Dillsboro and other descendents of Dillsboro and
the state of Washington,
Succeeding Mr, Cannon was Martin H. Lovelady
who ser ved thre
Letter to Jan Else signed by Antigone Kotsiopulos and Ginny Webster
No full textThank you letter to Friends of the Gustafson Gallery member and department faculty member, Janet J. Else, signed by Department Head, Antigone Kotsiopulos, and Friends of the Gustafson Gallery President, Ginny (Virginia) Webster
Historic Webster Vol. 12 No. 2
No full textHistoric Webster is a newsletter of the Webster Historical Society, Inc., created at the Society’s founding in 1974. The publication helped to serve the Society's mission of collecting and preserving the history of Webster, North Carolina. Webster, established in 1851, was the original county seat for Jackson County.HISTORIC
WEBSTER
Vol. 12, Issue 2 Summer 1987
Features
3
From Blue Horses to
Spencer Clark
In December 1986, the Webster
Historical Society honored the
Spencer Clark Trio for its production
of the cassette, "Summer
Evening in Webster." The author
remembers his early days with a
radio.
by Gary Carden
4
A Special Trio
The "Summer Evening in Webster"
cassette continues the village's
affair with the arts. The story
is told in a Sylva Herald story.
by Angela Griffin
6
Freedom is a Dream
Webster celebrated an old-fashioned
Fourth at "Miss Lucy's.
A speech makes us proud.
by John E. Fobes
8
A Tribute to Woodford
Davis
A friend remembers his childhood
days with Wood Davis
by Dale Coward
The Cover:
The Spencer Clark Trio, Spencer and Mary
Clark and Hoyte Roberson, Jr. have issued
a cassette of their summer performances
for the society.
SPEAKING EDITORIALLY
HISTORIC
WEBSTER
President
Midred Cowan
Box 186
Webster, NC 28788
Vice President
Dale Coward
Norton Road
Cashiers, NC 28717
Secretary-Treasurer
Margaret and Jim Simpson
Box 126
Webster, NC 28788
Membership Chairman
Kate M. Rhinehart
Box 145
Webster, NC 28788
Editor
Joe P. Rhinehart
Box 356
Webster, NC 28788
The Webster Historical Society, Incorporated,
is a non-profit organization founded
in 1974 to study and preserve the history
and culture of the area. The annual
membership fee is 5.00 paid to the membership
chairman, Box 145, Webster, NC 28788.
The society publishes Historic Webster
quarterly, and it is mailed to the members.
The editor welcomes material for publication
and will give consideration to any submitted
articles.
It's Summer Time In Webster And The Town Is Celebrating -The W ebeter ru.t.orical Society
Pre.stntJ
111111111 DDIIID WDiftl
~._t:
Ella Richardt and Robert Lee Maddon
JWy , , l2, 19,U
~o'dodl
ThoW ...... U.u.iM.doodiMCh• ldl
W.t.m-,Nonhc..n.un..
It's summer in Webster, and it couldn't be a more exciting time to be here.
We are in the middle of our fifth season of "Summer Evening in Webster." We have been royally entertained
by tenor Patrick McGuire and his son Logan with a beautiful varied concert of his favorite music;
actress Sue Monroe who performed professionally in her husband, Ben Glawsons play "Bunny Tracks; "
and Mary Clark, pianist, returned for her second solo show as she honored George Gershwin. And we still
have the final concert to look forward to. It will, as always, be done by our own Spencer Clark Trio. Spencer
has picked a program that presents George Gershwin and his friends. The church has been packed every
week, and the July 26 concert will, as usual, be standing room only.
Jeff Ginn has done his second painting for the society, "Summer Evening in Webster, II." His first print,
given by the society to its summer performers, has been exhausted . The print can be had only by perform-
~--~-· ing for the society and its guests. The painting hangs in some of the area's final artists' homes.
f~~~~;:g A good crowd joined Carol and Gerald Karcher on the lawn of the Hedden House for the society's annual
--:::.:::::::•- . .::....,___ "Miss Lucy's Picnic." It was Webster's usual Fourth of July tribute, and we were pleased to hear Jack Fobes.
NMMM¥M!!!I'!W'Iil!~ He and his wife, Hazel, are former owners of Hedden House. Jack is a former director of the United Nations
Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization 8.50. It features the best of the past four Clark concerts. It will
bring back those wonderful summer memories. You can also get copies of the society's prize winning publication, The Poems of Robert
Lee Madison. The book was named North Carolina's best 1986 book of poetry. The cost is 14.00. The tape and the book may be ordered
from Box 145, Webster, NC 28788- both prices include postage and handling.
2 Historical Webster Summer 1987 ~-
From Blue Horses
to Spencer Clark
"For a moment, it all comes rushing back ... the movies, the dances, the songs,
and the glowing light of my pink radio
When I was eight years old, I bought a Blue
Horse notebook. For those of you who are not
familiar with this school accessory of the 40's,
the company that manufactured Blue Horse
notebooks and tablets gave away marvelous
prizes. All you had to do was save the Blue
Horses ... cut them out and save them I did! I
begged them from school mates, bought them,
swapped for them and went through garbage
cans searching for them. You couldn't stick
them in a book like Green Stamps, so I packet
them, 50 to a stack in shoe boxes until I had
enough to send in. What came back changed
my life.
It was a radio ... or to be more specific, it was
a pink " table-model" cheap radio, and I had
dubious motives for wanting it. The situation
was like this: At the age of six, two years before
I started hoarding Blue Horses, I had become
a radio junkie. Beginning at 3:30 each afternoon,
I would camp in front of the big Silvertone
radio in the living room and launch a nonstop
listen-in that would last through dinner (or
supper, as we called it) and well into the night.
I listened to Jack Armstrong, Captain Midnight,
Sargent Preston of the Royal Mounties,
Dick Tracy and The Lone Ranger. Things went
well until I decided to initate my own story hour
at school. Each day at recess, I would recount
all of the stories from the previous afternoon
for my classmates, complete with cliff-hanger
endings. When my second-grade teacher heard
about my little recitals, she asked me a lot of
strange questions .. .like, "Is it true you act out
all the people in the story?" Oh, yes indeed, I
did that. "You do realize that these are radio
programs ... just a lot of people talking over
microphones?" No, I did not realize that and
did not want to realize it. So, my second-grade
teacher came for a visit, and told my grandparents
that they should not allow me to listen
to the radio since the line between the real
world and make-believe had become somewhat
blurred for me. My second-grade teacher told
my horrified grandparents that I could become
unable to tell the difference between the real
and the unreal. She was wrong there, of course.
by Gary Carden
I knew the difference very well. It was just a
matter of preference. In addition to curtailing
my radio listening, my teacher also suggested
something should be done about my addiction
to Saturday westerns and comic books ... two
other factors that contributed to disorienting
my youthful mind.
So, I lost a goodly part of my radio listening
privileges. No more long sessions in front of the
old Silvertone. That is why I went after the Blue
Horses. And I acquired a pink radio. And that
is how I become a secret, nocturnal radio
junkie. Alone in my bedroom after my grandparents
were asleep, I would turn on my pink
radio which lit up the whole room like a
surprise-pink night light, and I would listen. Of
course, this was a different kind of radio. No
Lone Ranger. No Jack Armstrong. Indeed it
was late-night music. I heard things like,
'' ... And now, for your listening enjoyment, Jack
Teagarden from the Roosevelt Ballroom in
downtown New Orleans." I heard Lanny Ross
singing "Moonlight and Roses," and Rose Murphy
the "Chee-Chee" girl singing "Mean to
Me." I heard Lionel Hampton and Fred Waring.
Sil Austin and Carmen McRae. Margaret
Whiting and Oscar La vent. By the time I was
twelve, I could recognize hundreds of songs and
composers. I knew the lyrics to Gershwin, Gus
Kahn, Cole Porter, Irving Berlin and Hogie
Carmichael. I never knew why I did this, and
I don't know to this day. It was as though I
thought that somebody ... God, the President or
my English teacher would give me a test. They
would say, "Who wrote 'Old Buttermilk Sky'?"
and I would say, ''Hogie Carmichael.' ' Or they
would say, "What was Buddy Hackett's theme
song?" and I would say, "Embracable You."
I memorized song lyrics as though they were
sacred writ; as though I could ward off sickness
or evil by quoting them like charms. To this
day, when people quote philosophers or
Shakespeare, I have a tendency to answer with
lyrics by Jerome Kern or Hammerstein. "That
government is best that governs least," they
(Continued on page 7) Historic Webster Summer 1987 3
HISTORIC
WEBSTER
SUMMER 1987
LOVELY SOUNDS FROM
A SPECIAL
TRIO
Spencer and Mary Clark
The Clarks have spent 38
years sharing music
together. Music actually
brought them together in
1948 and they have been
perfectly compatible since.
4 Historic Webster Summer 1987
1 ,
The historical society
is trying to recapture
the leisurely fellowship
of friends and neighbors
coming together
by Angela Griffin
Combining the mellow, easy listening music of the Spencer
Clark Trio with the cool and quiet summer evenings of Webster
was a brilliant, and successful, idea of the Webster Historical
Society. Not everyone has had the opportunity to attend one of
the Summer Evening in Webster series where the Trio, for the
last four years, has given the finale performance of a series of
performing arts featuring local artists with ties to the area.
Summer Evenings in Webster are evenings in July set aside
to enjoy the arts. The events are held outside unless it rains (then
things are moved inside the Methodist Church). A crowd of as
many as 200 have been known to gather in a local meadow for
one of these events. The Spencer Clark Trio - a trio made up of
well-known musician Spencer Clark on the tenor saxophone, Mary
Clark on piano and Hoyte Roberson, Jr., on drums- play, with
very little electronic assistance, a wide-range of musical selections.
These multi-talented musicians play for the love of it and
as they play, their sounds are recorded on tape.
When people began to request recordings from the group,
Webster Historical Society member Joe Parker Rhinehart
asked Spencer to edit some of the music recorded on site over the
last four years into one full cassette tape. It took Spencer two full
weeks to go through all the old tapes and select the pieces with
the best sound.
Mary Clark said the whole idea of producing a Spencer Clark
Trio tape came from requests from the people attending the Summer
Evening in Webster series.
"Every year, people would ask for tapes," said Mary.
"Everyone seems to like what we play. We were too busy playing
to worry with the tapes, so out of four years, we got enough
to fill one tape."
The result is a very pleasing selection of 35 of some of the world's
favorite songs. The tape has been presented in the limited edition
of 250 copies which sell for 8 each. Some of the selections
come from a solo performance done by Mary.
The tape begins with the theme song for A Summer Evening
in Webster with lyrics written by well-known local writer Sue Ellen
Bridgers, music by Spencer Clark and sung by Boyd Sossamon,
Jr.
Spencer said the theme song was derived from a request by
Rhinehart. But Spencer is not a lyricist so he engaged the
assistance of Sue Ellen who came up with "lovely lyrics" which
Spencer says "captures the whole meaning of this thing."
"Once I heard the lyrics," said Spencer, who plays almost any
instrument entirely by ear, "I could hear the music coming and
I sat down and wrote the music."
The lyrics convey what the Historical Society is trying to recapture
and that is the leisurely fellowship of friends and neighbors
coming together to share their heritage. Such evenings were once
shared by the beloved Professor Robert Lee Madison who frequently
entertained the village of Webster with his front porch
concerts on his flute. Mrs. Madison was the town music teacher.
And although it is one small town's attempts to preserve their
heritage, the series has drawn attention from counties all around.
The Clarks have spent 38 years sharing music together. Music
actually brought them together in 1948 and they have been perfectly
compatible since. Spencer may be best known for his abilities
on the bass saxophone, a standard instrument of bands of the
1920's and 30's better known as the "Jazz Age."
As a member of the Lud Gluskin Orchestra for two years,
Spencer Clark did a lot of recording. He later recorded some solo
jazz albums such as "Spencer Clark - Master of the Bass Saxophone,"
and "Spencer Clark and His Bass Sax Play Sweet and
Hot." He says he has probably appeared on some 20 jazz recorders
since his retirement in 1971 when he moved to Webster.
Area folks picked up right away on the talents of Spencer and
Mary. Forming a trio, they began to play dinner music at such
places as the Courthill Inn and the Maggie Valley Country Club.
Their first trio drummer was Tom Jenkins, a talented local who
was majoring in music at Western Carolina University. When Tom
moved on, the Clarks used various talented drummers from the
area until they met up with Hoyt. Hoyt shared the Clarks' love
of music and the three hit it off right away and have been together
for several years now playing at wedding receptions and private
parties on a part-time basis.
The Clarks do not wish to book the Trio too heavily. But they
have a love for music and enjoy sharing that love with others
through a broad selection of songs.
"We like a lot of types of music and that is probably why
people like us so much," said Mary. "We play selections a lot of
people like to hear and we aim our selections to the age of the
audience. We're fortunate in liking so many types of music."
Spencer noted that on the newly released tape, a variety of selections
can be heard. Each year the Evening in Webster series is
given a specific theme and the music is geared toward that theme.
In 1987, the theme will be based on music by George Gershwin.
The Clarks have enjoyed music since their childhood. Mary had
formal training in piano since age 10. But Spencer, although he
had no formal trining except some music in high school, has just
picked the music up "naturally." But he also taught himself to
read music.
"He reads very well, but his ear is so good, he doesn't bother,"
said mary, only a tiny bit enviously.
Spencer explains his ability as being based on mathematics.
He says he can hear the music and find the relationship of notes
mathematically, in intervals. It is like using a type of singing
called "solfeggio."
Mary can understand exactly how Spencer does this.
Every scale is do-re-me or 1-2-3, no matter what the key," she
says. "Most musicians use numbers so it doesn't matter what key
the music is in."
A program to announce the issue of "A Summer Evening in
Webster," a cassette recording by the Spencer Clark Trio, was
held recently at Western Carolina University. Jim Simpson,
"Hoyt shared
the Clark's
love of music
and the three
hit it off right
away and have
been together
for several
years now. ''
Hoyte Roberson, Jr.
mayor of Webster, made the opening remarks. Julian Hirt
commended the Trio on the sound, which they accomplis with
almost no electronic equipment. Spencer says the Trio does not
need electronics to get the sound they desire. It is pure music flowing
out to the ears of an audience seated in a green meadow in
a lovely mountain town. It is music which does not call for
loudness. It is sweet and mellow and soothing to the ears.
It is the music of the Trio that people wish to capture on tape
to listen to while relaxing at home. It is the coziness of the music
that brings to mind the lyrics written by Sue Ellen - It's Summetime
in Webster, and we are home again.
Tapes can be purchased at Riverwood Craft Shop in Dillsboro
or at Jim Simpson's The Christian Shop.
Historic Webster Summer 1987 5
Our Declaration of Independence started a vast movement on
this planet. American independence became the sign, the symbol,
the standard, a dream which has spread around the world.
I have been fortunate to work
and travel in other countries and
to spend time with, listen to and
learn from thoughtful persons in
all parts of the world- persons
who are sensitive to problems, to
feelings, to commonalities of life
on this planet. They are individuals
who are seeking meaning
to life, who actively search
for solutions to the world's
predicament.
From these experiences, I
have tried to distill thoughts appropriate
to our coming together
on this Independence Day. I have
put them in the form of an old
fashioned Fourth of July oration
which can make us feel proud,
yet humble; local, yet part of all
humankind; strong, but not complacent;
ready to accept and
meet challenges of the future.
Please try to imagine that I am
speaking from a village bandstand
bedecked with red and blue
banners.
We are celebrating Independence
Day of 1987 with friends and
neighbors. It is well to record
that our Declaration of Independence
of 21 years ago
started a vast movement on this
planet. "American independence"
became the sign, the symbol,
the standard, a dream which
has spread around the world.
Only 42 years ago, at the end
of a terrible war, that dream was
re-invigorated and reflected in
the United Nations Charter, signed
at San Francisco. That document
took its inspiration .from
the Four Freedoms of Franklin
D. Roosevelt, from the Atlantic
Charter of Roosevelt and
Winston Churchill, from a 1943
Declaration of the nations
fighting fascism. I've just been
reading the unpublished letters
of one of my professors, written
while he served at the San Francisco
Conference which adopted
the UN Charter. On the spot, he
recorded the inspired spirit of
that gathering of 50 nations.
Reading his letters was a
valuable reminder of recent
history. They brought to mind
the statement of a young aviator
who died in the war. He wrote:
"Civilization does not rest on the
6 Historic Webster Summer 1987
enjoyment of its inventions but
solely upon the fervor which goes
into the winning of them." There
was inspration and fervor at San
Francisco.
Since 1945, more than 100
peoples have declared themselves
to be nations and have
claimed their independence. The
message that I bring here today
is that they are still striving to be
free of dependence in its many
forms. In fact, we are all thus
striving, looking for more selfreliance
in what has become an
interdependent world. It is well
to recall that we, the industrialized,
developed, privileged countries
of the North and West gave
the world the flame of independence.
But we also helped to
create the interdependent world
through our inventions - expecially
the electronic ones of the
computer, the satellite and
television.
In fact, of course, the planet
and all the peoples on it have
always been one. We only made
it more so. We created new
forms of dependence by projecting
a particular image of that
oneness - full of ideas of liberty,
yes - but also colored with impossible
picture of affluence and
waste.
We are in a global mess. What
should we do? The answers are
in Webster and in every local
community. The answers are in
America. The answers are
everywhere and they are many
and diverse. That is what my
friends around the world are telling
me. Let me explain.
The image and dream which
America evoked are in our
history. -The Declaration of In-
Freedom
is a Dream
by John E. Fobes
dependence is part of that story.
Our Constitution - 200 years old
this year - has been used as a
model by many. But the true
greatness of America came from
a combination of factors which it
is well to remember on this day
of celebration. Those factors
include:
• The natural resources of a continent
for which we should be
grateful and more respectful;
• The challenge of the frontier of
the 18th and 19th centuries, accepted
in the spirit of that young
aviator- " the fervor which goes
into the winning of inventions";
• The vigor of small communities
based on trust;
• The diversity and richness of
the peoples who came to our
shores; never before nor since
has the world seen a greater
diversity of talents in one nation.
Conscious of these strengths,
what shall we do now? I think
that we need a new frontier. Not
the frontier of more ease and
more products on the shelves of
the supermarkets and the discount
stores. Perhaps our very
un-ease, and that of the whole
world, points to a new I old frontier.
The frontier is the search for
human dignity and human rights
for all on this planet. It demands
that all men and women can
walk upright and free. How can
they do so in an increasingly
crowded world? How can they do
so without basic human needs of
food, water, housing, health,
education? I believe that it is by
working together, by mutual
assistance, by allowing for a
great diversity in this striving
and by helping to build local
self-reliance.
You may have heard the
phrase, "Thinking globally, acting
locally.' This slogan may
have greater meaning than is
generally realized. Thinking
holistically, of all, globally, is
what America has tried to do.
Acting locally is a hallmark of
the American tradition.
Here I must recall the words of
a philosopher-poet-religious
thinker: "Home should be the
center but not the circumference
of the affections." Have we not
America has a great responsiblity as a leader and a servant of
humanity. It would re-dedicate itself on this Fourth of July to the
frontier, the challenge of the 21st century.
ofter seen the outpouring of those
affections toward others by an
America which treasured the importance
of home and wanted to
help others to preserve or re
Historic Webster Vol. 11 No. 1
No full textHistoric Webster is a newsletter of the Webster Historical Society, Inc., created at the Society’s founding in 1974. The publication helped to serve the Society's mission of collecting and preserving the history of Webster, North Carolina. Webster, established in 1851, was the original county seat for Jackson County.Dickson Sl ater
Box 164
Davi dson, NC 280J6
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HISTORIC~
••••••••••••••••••---"_;e_w_;s:.:,le::.t.:te:.:..r of the Webster Historical Society, Inc.
VOLUME XI, NUMBER 1 WEBSTER, NORTH CAROLINA SPRING, 1985
The Cowan_s, Webster __ C_itizens
On a late spring afternoon in
1927, Mary BridgerS, a first
year teacher at Balsam Elementary
School in Jackson
county, spotted a dapper
young man on the Rolling
Green Golf Course near Webster.
He was wearing knickers,
fashionable at the time,
and an English-style cap
typical of the "roaring '20's."
She was impressed. Louise
Parker, a fellow teacher and
roommate at Balsam, soon introduced
Mary to the young
man who was Claude Cowan of
Webster. After a short courtship,
Claude Cowan and Mary
Bridgers were married at the
Bridgers' home in Macclesfield,
North Carolina, on
Christmas Day, 1928. They
soon returned to Webster
where they have made their
home for the past fifty-five
years. Claude and Mary have
two sons: Claude Jacob
Cowan, Jr., of Fairview Road,
Sylva, and William Joseph
Cowan of Tucker, Georgia. Claude and Mary Cowan's lives have been spent in and for Webster.
Madison poems will bEf published in
Summer by Society
The Poems of Robert Lee
Madison, a compilation of
poems, some known and many
being published for the first
time, will be released by the
Webster Historical Society in
the summer.
Professor Madison, a Webster
resident, founder of Western
Carolina University, and
a classical scholar, wrote hundreds
of poems in numerous
styles. He often shared these
verses with his friends through
little printed cards that he
distributed, through greeting
cards, or through his lectures.
It has long been a goal of the
historical society to preserve
these literary pieces. With the
permission of Mr. Madison's
family, the professor's poetic
works have been edited by Joe
P. Rhinehart ami a beautifully
printed volume is in
publication.
Larkspur Press, an art press
in Monterey, Kentucky, is
printing the book. Gray Zeitz,
the owner, is a master printer
and a former student of the
world famous Victor Hammar.
Zeitz and Hammar's
work have been exhibited in
many galleries, including the
Golier Club in New York.
Then, by hand, he will stitch
the books in soft covers in the
chapbook style. The chapbook
was developed in western
Europe in the nineteenth century
and, at that time, was a
cheap method of making books
available. Zeitz has revived
the style and has made it an
art form.
The Poems of Robert Lee
Madison, printed in a limited
edition, will appeal to Madison's
friends and students, collectors
of art, historians, and
readers of all sorts.
Professor Robert Lee madison wrote poems on many
subjects and in many styles.
They also have two granddaughters,
four grandsons,
two great grandsons, and a
great granddaughter.
CLAUDE JACOB COWAN,
SR. was born on September 9,
1902, on the Cowan farm bordering
the banks of the Tuckasegee
River near Webster.
He was the fourth of eight
children born to William Lee
and Luthena Wild Cowan.
After high school he held a
number of jobs related to his
interest in the field of electricity.
This was during the era
when electrical power was
first being introduced to residents
of Jackson county. After
a short time as an electrician's
apprentice, Claude Cowan
became an electrician and installed
the electrical wiring for
many of the old landmark
buildings and houses in Sylva,
Webster and throughout Jackson
county. He briefly worked
for the Dillsboro Power and
Light Company before opening
his own electrical shop in
Sylva.
As the Great Depression decreased
the demand for electrical
services and appliances,
Mr. Cowan closed his shop and
took a job with the Mead Corporation
where he worked for
several years as an electrician
and turbine operator. Then,
desiring to establish his own
business, he left the Mead Corporation
and built the Webster
Grocery Store which he managed
until 1951. During this
time he also served as Jackson
county's electrical inspector.
In 1951, Claude Cowan sold
his business to accept an appointment
with the North Carolina
Department of Agriculture
as a state regional inspector,
an appointment not alt()gether
unexpected since, in
addition to his qualifications,
he had successfully managed
the gubernatorial campaign of
Governor Kerr Scott in
Jackson county in 1950.
Before concluding his adult
working career, Cowan accepted
an appointment by the
Jackson County Board of Edu-
Continued on page 2
Page 2, HISTORIC WEBSTER, SPRING 1985
Mary and Claude Cowan have shared 55 yt
Continued from page 1
cation as the county's attendance
counselor, a position he
held until his retirement in
1967. Although he enjoyed a
variety of work experiences
throughout his adult life, his
first love was politics, as
evidenced by his successful
management of numerous
political campaigns for state,
regional, and local candidates.
He is most proud of the campaign
he managed for his
brother, Roy, who was elected
clerk of the Jacksdh County
Superior Court in 1938. Roy
was re-elected without opposition
each term until his death
in 1946.
In 1962, Claude Cowan was
elected to the Webster Board
of Aldermen, a position he
presently holds at age eightytwo.
As alderman, he takes
great pride in the many improvements
made on the
water system which was little
more than a small spring-fed
reservoir a few years ago. Of
equal pride to him is the fact
that Webster boasts a zero
crime rate, a fact that he attributes
to good neighbors
watching out for good
neighbors.
In addition to Claude
Cowan's many years of service
as an alderman, he was
an active member of The
Woodmen of the World, a
fraternal organization dedicated
to community service. He
is also a member of the
Fraternal Order of Masons
and was elected Master of the
Dillsboro Masonic Lodge by
his brother Masons in 1948.
Claude is a member of the
Webster Baptist Church where
he was active in promoting
building improvements and
acquiring a new parsonage.
During his retirement, he
enjoys keeping abreast of
local, state, and national
political events, serving on the
Webster Board of Aldermen,
and keeping his yard well
groomed. In the past, he spent
much time transporting elderly
friends and neighbors to
church, doctor's appointments,
the supermarket, the
drug store, and, as he says,
"just about anywhere else
they need to go."
When asked how he feels,
one is likely to get the standard
answer, "Well, I'm still kicking,
just not quite as high!" He
continues to maintain that
great sense of humor which
has characterized his personality
for eighty-two years.
Some would say that the one
thing Claude enjoys more than
hearing a good joke is telling
one. But most of all he is
known to his neighbors as an
accommodating friend, always
willing to help those in
need of his assistance.
MARY BRIDGERS
COW AN was born on April 1,
1905, in Macclesfield, North
Carolina. She was the sixth of
twelve children born to Joseph
Caswell and Nancy Owens
Bridgers. She was graduated
from high school in Edgecombe
county and attended
Farmville Women's College in
Farmville, Virginia for one
year before transferring to
Cullowhee Normal and Industrial
School (now Western Carolina
University) in Cullowhee,
North Carolina, where
she studied to become a
teacher. Upon graduation
from college she accepted a
teaching position at Balsam
Elementary School in Jackson
county. The following year
Mary Cowan accepted a teaching
position at Webster School
where she continued to teach
until her retirement in 1965.
Much of Mary Cowan's adult
life was centered around the
classroom and the children
she taught. As a teacher she
was best known for her ability
to "teach the unteachable."
Her fellow teachers have described
her as a master teacher
who was applying unique
methods of motivating children
to learn as well as techniques
of behavior modification
long before these methods
and techniques were written
about in the textbooks. And
yes, if this didn't work, she
was not above bribing a child
with food, money, extra privileges,
or just about anything
else that worked if that was
what was required to teach the
vowel sounds or the multiplication
tables.
Although the 3 R's came
first, Mrs. Cowan's appreciation
and love for music, art,
science, and social studies
were what made her classroom
a fun place to be. Her
students produced more musical
programs (operettas)
than any class in the school.
Her love of music was contagious
and her students responded
enthusiastically by
singing, dancing, acting, and
playing in the rhythm band.
Mary Cowan's personal enjoyment
and participation in
these activities with the
children kept her young short
Cowan and Rhinehart were
always on call for town
By Joe W. Rhinehart
Claude Cowan and I grew up together in Webster, but
because Claude was my senior we did not become close
friends until we were older. As boys we attended Webster
School, but Claude was ahead of me.
Our relationship has been close since we married and
Claude moved over the river. Claude was indeed a friend
in need for any time I needed help Claude answered the
call.
We are both interested in our town's welfare and to be
of service we both became aldermen. Our biggest job as
aldermen has been taking care of Webster's water works.
If the water "went off," a neighbor would call either
Claude or me to ask what the trouble was. We would get
together and search for the problem. Many times it would
mean digging up a pipe line or cleaning out the springs
on Kings Mountain. The springs, for many years, were the
source of Webster's water. When a major problem came
up we met with the other alderman and the mayor to
discuss the problem.
Now in our mature years and since we are among the
few native Websterites left, we enjoy sitting on the porch
in the sun talking about the "Good Old Days."
Joe Rhinehart and Claude
Cowan visit at the post office.
of her years.
In the spring of each year it
was not unusual to see Mary
Cowan and her entire third
grade assembled in the Cowan
garden or on the lawn catching
everything from butterflies to
the praying mantis. At other
times of the year they might
be seen collecting rocks,
leaves, flowers, or just about
anything of interest which
could form the basis for a
scientific nature study. These
activities, she believed, provided
welcomed relief to the
children from the rigors of
mastering the 3 R's and also
motivated them to develop a
sense of inquiry about their
environment.
It was mastery of the basics
plus the many enjoyable
educational experiences which
endeared Mrs. Cowan as a teacher
and as a person to four
generations of students. Her
service spanned thirty-six
years.
In addition to the three-plus
decades as a teacher in the
Jackson County Public
Schools, Mary Cowan was also
active in various church and
community activities. Prior to
her retirement, she was an active
member of the Webster
Baptist Church where she
served for many years as a
Sunday School teacher and a
member of the choir. She was
active in the Women's Missionary
Society and participated
in numerous other church
activities and charitable
causes.
No review of Mary Cowan's
accomplishments would be
complete without some mention
of her more subtle attributes
which are no less important
than her impressive
career as a teacher. As a wife,
mother, and individual, her
life has exemplified a love and
concern for others, especially
those less fortunate than she.
Her many acts of kindness to
those who found themselves in
a state of misfortune will long
be remembered by the many
whose lives she touched. Their
need of food, clothing, medical
attention, or sometimes just a
word of encouragement, never
went unattended if Mary
Cowan was aware of the
circumstances.
There is yet another side to
Mary Cowan's personality.
She must believe that
"laughter is the hand of God
on the shoulder of a troubled
world." Even today, her sense
of humor is equalled perhaps
only by that of her husband,
Claude.
CLAUDE AND MARY
COWAN have shared fifty-five
years together in Webster.
Summer, 1985, Claude
Spencer Clark Trio "Su
concert.
Among their most treasured
memories are the many good
neighbors and friends whose
lives have touched them over
the years.
Among their most 1
the many good neigh
lives touched them ov
Together they have shared
the good times and the bad
times . They endured the
poverty and deprivation of the
Great Depression. They
shared the grief and sadness
associated with the many
relatives, friends, and
neighbors who were wounded
or killed in World War II,
Korea, and Vietnam. They
EdUCI
By Joe P .
In 1956 I had earned the ho1
address at the Webster Sci
what I wanted to say to the c
it would be good to recall hi!
Webster was a stable com
thirty-nine seniors grown up
years together, but so had m
unusual for the whole famil
studied under the same tea,
In my memories of those d
ly more like family than im
not only qualified to instruc
highlighted the highlights.
What I wanted to say abou
said about a dozen more wl
lives. But there were things 1
our third grade teacher diff
obvious. After years of heari
into Mrs. Cowan's room and
made an impression- soft,
to do what she wanted?
Educators, in more recer
the "whole child." In 1946 t
Cowan. She had us performi
SPRING, 1985, HISTORIC WEBSTER, Page 3
~ars with Webster Claude Cowan has
always been interested in
politics. He helped with the
rechartering of Webster
and has served on the town
board for thirty years. He
has managed many a prospective
office holder's campaign
- always successfully.
When Roy Taylor of
Asheville became a candidate
for the United States
Congress, Cowan took over
his Jackson county campaign
and from his Webster
home helped elect Taylor to
Congress for several
terms.
and Mary Cowan attend the
mmer Evening in Webster"
have sympathized with and
assisted their many friends
who fell victim to the
devastating flood of 1940 as it
ravaged homes and other pro-
;reasured memories are
bors and friends whose
er the years.
perty along the banks of the
Tuckasegee River where the
Cowans lived at the time.
But all in all, they agree on
one thing as they share their
memories with frequent intervals
of laughter and good
humor: that is, they have been
richly blessed and have seen
more good times than bad.
Claude Cowan (center) helped Roy Taylor (left)
plan, with Gerald Hardy, his 1960 congressional
campaign.
"Claude Cowan is more like a brother"
By Mildred Cowan
Claude J. Cowan is a cousin of mine, though he is more
like a brother. He is a son of the late William Cowan, my
father's brother, who lived next door to my family.
In this day and time my mother would be called a
workaholic, and she sometimes would call on Claude to
babysit me. He was a good entertainer. He taught me
games such as jacks tones, hop scotch and jump rope. He
even tried to teach me to make tatting lace, but all I could
do was tie knots that would not slip to make a loop. He read
stories to me and taught me children's songs.
At school he was several grades ahead of me, but he
would still look after me. Then I went to boarding school
and after that moved to Asheville where I lived for four
years. In the meantime Claude married Mary Bridgers
of Macclesfield and they began to raise a family. Those
years we were not as close as we had been.
After my father's death, my mother and I sold the old
home place and bought a lot in Webster from Claude's son,
Billy Joe. When we became next door neighbors again we
took up where we had left off and again resumed our
brother-sister relationship. He is my adviser, my handy
man, and my confidante. I feel wonderfully blessed to have
someone like Claude for a friend.
Claude Cowan operated a service station on
Sylva's Main Street in 1951.
ate the whole child Mary-Cowan's philosophy:
Rhinehart
10r to deliver the salutatorian
tool graduation. In deciding
:lass and its guests I thought
:blights of our days together.
munity, and not only had we
together and spent our school
any of our parents. It was not
y, parents included, to have
cher.
ays, teachers, who were realtructors,
teachers who were
t but also knew how to love,
tone teacher could have been
to passed through our young
hat made Mrs. Mary Cowan,
erent, and the first was very
ng our mountain twang, to go
hear her soft down east drawl
gentle- who would not want
t days, talk about educating
his was nothing new to Mrs.
ng in a rhythm band. She had
Mary Cowan's third graders dance in Webster School's
annual May Day Celebration, 1958.
us keeping poetry notebooks. We did molding clay
sculpture.
Mrs. Cowan was a great believer in good manners, including
eating habits. Once she had the home economics
students appear during our lunch period, and, for several
weeks, they taught us the correct eating form: napkins and
one hand in the lap and of course, a clean plate alwaysthe
clean plate was sometimes hard to come by, but we
were graded, and so we ate correctly.
Mrs. Cowan was a thorough teacher in the academics.
Every activity tied into another. In a social studies class
we made a list of community helpers- teacher, police,
minister. These words became a spelling list. Then one
leader became the theme for a composition. Then the subject
became a clay sculpture for art class.
I knew twenty-eight years ago the value of good
teaching, and I wanted to let my commencement listeners
know the value of a good teacher, and so I recounted these
same events and those of other teachers to the audience.
Now, after twenty-four of my own years spent in a
classroom, I know even more the value of education, and
though forty years have passed since those third grade
days of being forced to each cafeteria spinach, I still eat
with one hand and I still clean my plate.
Generations of Webster citizens owe much to Mrs. Mary
Cowan.
Page 4, HISTORIC WEBSTER, SPRING 1985
From The Cowan Scrapbook ...
Claude Cowan in Webster, 1918. The
photographs were taken in the Madison yard
and the R. L. Haskett house is in the
background.
Mary Bridgers Cowan, summer, 1928. A photograph by
Donahue Studios in Sylva.
Mary Cowan and her son C.
Mary Bridgers was a native
of Macclesfield, North Carolina.
She was about nine or ten
when she and her friend Rev a
Phillips took a buggy ride. J., about 1933.
Mary Bridgers and her
friends at Western Carolina
University. Louise Parker is
left center and Mary Bridgers
is beside her.
"Summer Evenings . . . "
Summer, 1985, will be an
exciting time to be in Webster.
The Webster Historical Society
is planning its third
season of "Summer Evenings
in Webster" for July and it invites
natives and visitors to
attend the events.
Scheduled for Sunday evenings
at 5:30 in the Webster
United Methodist Olurch, the
program this year celebrates
the theme of "Anniversaries."
Stephen Hamilton, the artist-
in-residence at So'lthwestern
Technical College,
will open the season on July 7
with a concert of vocal and instrumental
music by Johann
Sebastian Bach and George
Frederick Handel, both of
whom celebrate their 300th
birthdays this year.
Harry Cagle, the leader of
"Harry Cagle and the Country
Cousins," will present a
concert on his violin on July
14. Cagle, who is known
across the South for his traditional
playing, will be
presented in a solo performance
which will include
dance music, hymns, and traditional
mountain music.
John Parris, author, editor,
and columnist, will read his
" Webster Stories ;" stories
set in Webster or about Webster
people on July 21. This
year marks the 35th anniversary
of the publication of Parris'
first volume of collected
pieces, Roaming the Mountains.
The series will end July 28,
with the third appearance of
the Spencer Clark Trio.
Clark, his wife Mary, and
drummer Hoyle Roberson,
will feature the music of
Jerome Kearn, whose centennial
is celebrated this year,
and his friends . This
popular program will be presented,
as usual, on the lawn
of Hilda and Huck Hoffman
on North Main Street and
Buchanan Loop.
A reception follows each
program to honor the performing
artists.
Madison Poems In Sunset Program
A long planned e~ent of fhe
Webster Historical Society
will be realized on July 5,
when the Society releases it's
latest publication, The Poems
of Robert Lee Madison.
Webster Mayor James
Simpson will preside over the
outdoor program set for the
back yard of Court House
Square at sunset, eight
o'clock.
Chancellor Myron L. Coulter,
Western Carolina University,
Kate Moore Rhinehart,
and Louise Madison Bedford
will speak on the professor as
educator, community leader,
and family man. Society president
Mildred Cowan will
present the Madison family
with the first numbered copy
of the book. Jim Gray, editor
of The Sylva Herald, will read
selected Madison poems. The
program will open with guitar
music and end with Dr. Alexander
A. Lesueuer on the
flute.
Sunset was Professor Madison's
favorite time and the
village was often entertained
by his front porch guitar and
flute concerts.
All are invited to attend this
special event to celebrate the
hundredth anniversary of Mr.
Madison's arrival in Jackson
County.
Miss Lucy's Picnic
Planned For July 4th
The second annual "Miss
Lucy's Picnic" will be held on
Thursday afternoon, July 4, at
4:30 on the lawn of Castalia,
the former home of Miss Lucy
Hedden, now the home of
Hazel and John Fobes.
Last summer the Webster
Historical Society revived the
picnic which Miss Lucy originated
years ago as a community
celebration of the nation's
birthday.
Only once, just after the end
of Worl
Historic Webster Vol. 8 No. 2
No full textHistoric Webster is a newsletter of the Webster Historical Society, Inc., created at the Society’s founding in 1974. The publication helped to serve the Society's mission of collecting and preserving the history of Webster, North Carolina. Webster, established in 1851, was the original county seat for Jackson County.newsletter of the Webster Historical Society, Inc.
VOLUME VIII, NUMBER 2 WEBSTER, NORTH CAROLINA SUMMER, 1982
W. N. Cook Served Town's Needs
By Joe P. Rhinehart
For years, a familiar
figure on the roads and hills
of Webster was the
Reverend W. N. Cook, the
minister of the town's Baptist
Church. Not only did he
minister to his own flock at
the church by the river, but
he was a minister to the entire
village. Not a person.
was ill, not a person died,
not a disaster struck that
Mr. Cook was not called in.
He was a partner to the joys
and sorrows of the village
for sixteen years.
William Newton Cook was
born June 28, 1878, in
Caldwell County, North
Carolina. His parents ,
farmers in the county's
Globe Township, were
Margaret Hartley and
WilliamS. Cook. W. N. Cook
was one of eight children,
six brothers, Mack, Todd,
Dan, Charles, Gaither, and
Jacob, and one sister Cora
Ann.
The Cook family lived the
life of the mountain farm
family, working the hillsides
for food to eat, sell, or
barter, raising cattle, providing
for most of their
physical needs through their
own hard work. For their
spiritual needs, as with most
of their neighbors, they attended
the Wilson Creek
Baptist Church. The father
was a deacon of Wilson
Creek and W. N., as the rest
of the family before him,
was baptized by the Minister
J. M. Payne into the faith on
a cold winter afternoon,
December 15, 1893, when he
was fifteen years old.
The Reverend W. N. Cook began his service in Webster as
leader of the Baptist Church in 1917.
Within years W. N. Cook
was licensed to preach by
Wilson Creek, made a
member of the Caldwell
Baptist Association, and on
December 20, 1903, at
twenty-five, just ten years
after he joined the church,
he was ordained a minister
of the Southern Baptist Convention.
During these ten years the
young Cook had spent four
years attending the Lenoir
Baptist College and
Dear Frie nd :
Your sympathy and co-opera
ti o n durin g our soj o urn amo n g
you has been hi gHy a?pre ciated
for which y o u have o ur thanks.
May b!euin gs r e s t upon you
t his e ntire year .
Let us know your j oys, your
sorr ow s, y our n e e d s that w e
may b e able t.o h ~ lp y o u at any
time. Yo ur humble pas t o r,
W. N. COOK.
Business Institute and had
on October 13, 1898, married
Mary Lezinka Bean, the
daughter of E. C. and
Emeline Bush Bean of
Burke County.
The Cooks were soon immersed,
not just in their
church work, but into the job
of raising a family, and
within the years that followed
they became the parents
of nine children. They were
the twins, Dan and Margaret
(Applewhite), three other
sons, John Earl, William
Lee, and James Judson, and
three four more girls, Mary
Ann (Briggs J, Minnie
Elizabeth (Nipper), Grace
Pauline (Mathis), and Eula
Beatrice.
The early churches that
the Reverend and Mrs. Cook
served , and it was a
cooperative effort, with
Mrs. Cook serving as
organist, Sunday School
teacher, and missionary
society leader, were rural.
In those days, in the mountain
area, a minister did not
pastor just a church, but he
traveled to several ,
preaching several Sunday
sermons and leading
numerous church and community
events.
The early Cook churches
were Mountain Grove,
Blanes, Fork, and Sardis in
Carta. By 1911 they were
working with the Hickory
and West Hickory, the
Penelope, and the Brushford
Baptist Churches, all in
Caldwell and Catawba counties.
In 1916, the Cooks moved
to Jackson county and they
took over the leadership of
the Scotts Creek Church.
During this first tour of the
county, the Reverend Cook
not only served the Scotts
Creek Church, but from
September 1917 to December
1918 he ministered to the
Baptists of Webster.
The Webster Baptist
Church had been founded in
December 30, 1854, only
three years after the county
and its county seat,
(
Webster, had been established.
The years 1917-1918
would be Mr. Cook's first
(Continued on Page 4)
Mrs. Cook Helped
Minister Husband
By Mildred Cowan
"Miss Lillian" Stillwell
Coo was born March 28,
1874. She was one of two
daughters born to Richard
Siler and Martha Allman
Stillwell of Webster. She
died May 8, 1948.
Miss Lillian was educated
at Cullowhee Normal
School , now Western
Carolina . University. She
taught for many years in the
Jackson County public
schools system. Most of
those years, and possibly all
of them, were in the Webster
Elementary School. According
to records in the Jackson
Cuonty Board of Education
she retired in 1922. "Miss
Lillian" was a strict
disciplinarian, but she did it
in such a manner that her
students respected and loved
her.
"Miss Lillian's" first love
was her church. She taught
the adult ladies Sunday
School class for years ; they
would have no one else for
their teacher . She also
organized one of the first
Women's Missionary Society
at Webster and was president
of that organization until
she could no longer carry
on the work. After she
became too ill to attend any
church services she would
sit in the living room of her
home and watch, and even
count, the people coming to
church.
After " Miss Lillian's"
teaching experience she
married the Reverend W. N.
Cook, who came to pastor
the Webster Baptist Church
and had become a widow
some two years before. She
was his faithful wife and a
good mother to his young
children, James and the
twins, Dan and Margarget.
The older Cook children
were able to care for
themselves by that time.
The Reverend Cook was
pastor of the church sixteen
years and they lived next
door to the church until her
death.
Mrs. Cook had four
brothers . They were
Ephrim, a lawyer ; Edgar,
who taught in the history
and English departments at
Western Carolina University
; and Charles and Iverson
who were farmers . Her
sister was Hattie Stillwell
Bryson who moved with her
husband to Alabama.
Page 2, HISTORIC WEBSTER, Summer, 1982
Mr. Cook's Hymns
IN HIS NAME
THE PREFACE TO
IN HIS NAME,
BY REV. W. N. COOK
Published By
The Teachers Music
Publishing Company
Hudson, North Carolina
strong in the Lord, and in
the power of His might,
and that all who sing
these songs may be stirred
to a pure devotion to
the glorious gospel of the
Son of God.
This little song book,
"In His Name," is respectfully
dedicated to
all workers in the spiritual
harvest.
It is hoped that whereever
it may go and into
whose hands it may fall,
that it will be "In His
Name."
The chief desire of the
author is that it may be
the means of leading a
part of the teeming millions,
to the foot of the
Cross, and of helping any
who are weak to be
This little work is sent
forth In His Name, may
the Lord accompany it
with His divine blessings,
and God shall have all the
praise.
Hickory, NC 1916
FOLLOW JESUS
Follow Jesus at His word
Oft His mandates you have heard
With an humble heart fill the truth today
In life's pathway walk anew
As it is revealed to you
Be baptized since all your sins
He's washed away.
Chorus: Follow Jesus, follow Jesus, let His wondrous
Mercy, be no more disguised
Follow Jesus, follow Jesus
In the presence of the world
Oh be baptized!
Follow Jesus and obey
Ne'er from His example stray
If you're grateful for His mercy
Make it known
Wondrous blessing you will lose
If His bidding you refuse
Be baptized. Your gracious Savior
Gladly own.
Follow Jesus pardoned one.
Sacred duty never shun
If you love Him as you should
No longer pause
Felling 'til a solemn rite
With a spirit now contrite
Strong in faith go be baptized
As Jesus was.
THEY ARE WAITING FOR ME
They are waiting for me, o'er the shadowy sea
In the home on the deathless shore
There I'll meet them again, free from trials and pain
When my journey 'mid earthly scenes is o'er.
Chorus : They are waiting for me over there
Cherished friends who have gone from my side
They are waiting for me over there
Where the ransomed with Jesus abide.
They are waiting in light, on which falleth no night
In the beautiful land of God
And with them I shall sing praise to Jesus
Our King, who to save us a path of sorrow trod.
We shall speak no farewell by and by when we dwell
Where no parting is ever known
And there be no alloy in our infinite joy
When united we stand before the throne.
Pages from th
The Reverend W. N. Cook married Mary Lizinka Bean in 1898. They
came 1o Webster in 1917 for one year and returned in 1929. Mrs. Cook was
the daughter of E. C. and Emeline Bush Bean.
Mr. and Mrs. W. N. Cook were the parents of nine children. The family is shown with four of them (
right) Mary Ann, Minnie, John, and William Lee.
Summer, 1982, HISTORIC WEBSTER, Page 3
reCooks' Family Scrapbook
left to
Mr. Cook's second wife was Miss Lillian Stillwell, the
daughter of Martha Allman and Richard Siler Stillwell of
Webster.
You Are Co rdially Invited
To The Service•
:11 the
HAMBURG BAPTIST CHURCH
Preachi n-g Ench lsi and 3 rd Sunday Morcing
Sur.day Sobool Each Sundaoy , 10 A.M.
W . N . COOK. PASTOR
Elinor Cleveland West was the Reverend W. N. Cook's third
wife. Miss Nellie was the daughter of W. B. and Estelle Bailey
Cleveland. She was a teacher, banker, and Highlands
postmaster. In 1960 Mrs. Cook was the Macon County
representative to the North Carolina General Assembly.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
LOWELL BAPTIST CHURCH
Sunday School
Men's Bible Class
(Redmen's Hall)
10:00 a. m.
9:45a. m.
Worship Every Sunday 11:00 a. m.
Evening Worship 7:30p.m.
Prayer Meeting Wednesday 7:30 p. m.
W. M. S. Thursday 7:30 p. m.
(Before the Fourth Sunday)
Other Services Announced From The Pulpit
AIM-- Three Hundred in Sunday School
Page 4, HISTORIC WEBSTER, Summer, 1982
Reflections
by Janice Monteith Blanton
Mrs. Pearl Madison
Neatness and pretty
clothes, a beautiful smile,
piano playing, and a prim
walk are among the characteristics
that come to mind
when I think of Mrs. Pearl
Madison, my former neighbor,
teacher, friend, and
supporter.
My first recollection of
Mrs. Madison is that every
time Nell (Ensley Bryson)
and I saw her come out of
her house to walk up the
street to the post office or
store, we made every effort
to fall in behind her, at a
reasonable distance , of
course, to mimic her walk.
We were just kids - preschool
and early elementary
- and we thought she had
the most fascinating walk of
anyone around and that if we
could just learn to walk a little
like her, we'd have it
made. We thought she never
knew why we were shadows
in the distance as she went
up and down Webster's main
street; I wonder now if she
really did.
Aside from Mrs .
Aside from teaching, and
she did an excellent job, she
also played the role of
"social and music chairman"
for both elementary
and high school activities.
Any time the weather was
too bad to go outside, Mrs.
Madison always vivaciously
found " inside fun" for us.
She was a fantastically energetic
pianist and we could
always depend on her to
play lively songs for us to
sing. The nicest thing about
her was that she always
seemed to have as much fun
as we did. With bubbling enthusiasm,
she always sang
along and could be easily
persuaded to "sing another
one." We'd even dance once
in a while ; however, that activity
was apt to be quickly
followed by a visit from one
of the local preachers who
would promptly point out the
error of our ways and
there'd be no dancing for a
few months.
beauties of algebra with us.
But there was just no way
she convince me ; to me,
"pie are round, cornbread
are square."
Over the years, in various
psychology courses, I've
studied "Modeling" - that
is, that young people tend to
model themselves after certain
adults whom they admire.
Obviously, Mrs. Madison,
as did many others of
my Webster acquaintances
about whom I've written,
had a significant positive influence
on my life as I grew
up in Webster. Truly, she, no
doubt, served as a motivator
in my interest in art, music,
pretty clothes and many
other things. She was a good
role model for me and many
other Webster young people.
As I was growing up,
Webster was full of excellent
role models after whom we
could pattern our lives. We
were very lucky to have
around us adults who believed
in us and encouraged us
in every possible way. I hope
the present generation of
Webster youngsters are
equally fortunate .
Minister Guided
By Mr. W. N. Cook
By Ernest A. Fitzgerald
Nearly forty years ago I
arrived in the lovely
Webster Community as the
new Methodist minister.
Still in college and i!.l my
teens, I knew so little about
my task. Down the hill from
our parsonage lived a
remarkable man , the
Reverend W. N. Cook. Mr.
Cook was the Baptist
minister but was known and
loved across the mountain
country as one of God's
great souls. I sensed in him
a friend who would guide a
boy preacher on his way. We
spent many hours together.
Somehow we never knew
that we were separated by
denominations. We worked
side by side, and I profited
by this man's great wisdom.
To Mr. Cook I am a debtor.
An Old Testament write
once said, "And a man shall
be as a hiding place from the
wind, a shelter in the
tempest, a covert in the
storm, and as a rock in a
weary land." I once knew a
man like that. His name was
W. N. Cook.
Dr. Fitzgerald is now the
senior minister of West
Market Street United
Methodist Church ,
Greensboro.
Be Thou My Guide
By W. N. Cook
Be Thou my guide, 0 Jesus
mine,
The waves of sin, are
whirling fast.
And threaten to o'er power
me.
Be Thou my guide, til strife
is past.
T'is all that I ask be Thou
my guide,
0 keep in paths, where
Thou hast trod.
And bear me safely, o'er
death 's cold tide
Grant this, 0 Thou,
eternally God.
Madison's interesting gait,
we thought she had to be
about the prettiest lady
around ; she was always
very neat and had lovely
clothes. I don't think I ever
saw her, even in the early
hours of the morning, when
she wasn't dressed like
she'd come out of a mind
box, immaculate from head
to toe. Her hair always looked
as if she'd just come from
the hair dresser, and her
dresses, or skirts, were always
meticulously clean
and pressed. She represented
my and Nell 's idea of a
model whom we'd like to
look like when we grew up.
The Webster school
chorus functioned under the
leadership of Mrs. Madison.
She was both director and
pianist, which, to anyone but
her, would have been an impossible
task. Those in the
chorus never observed any
frustration on her part about
the dual role. With a bright
smile and a gleam in her
eyes, she could encourage us
to do about anything. I know
she was a master of persuasion
because one year she
talked me into singing the
high soprano of the "Lord's
Prayer" in a duet for a baccalaureate
service - all of
you who know me personally
know that my voice is so low
and deep I should have been
singing bass instead!
Cook Served Webster
In later years, when we
were students at Webster
School, Mrs. Madison continued
to play an important
role in our lives. She was the
eighth grade teacher there
as long as I can remember.
When the Sylva-Webster
High School was built she
taught there until she retired.
At school, no doubt,
she influenced many young
girls to take pride in their
dress and appearance, as
she did Nell and me.
There was one thing
though that Mrs. Madison
never did manage to persuade
me to believe. and
that was 71' r ... In the eighth
grade I had my first introduction
to algebra, and
I'm afraid I was a source of
woe to Mrs. Madison. I
argued a lot over the logic
(or lack of logic as I saw it)
of algebra . Mrs. Madison
even asked Mr. Ernest
Penland, our principal, to
come in and discuss the
(Continued from Page 1)
term in Webster but he
would return for two other
tours with the Webster Baptists
and fix himself almost
permanently in the town's
life.
During the years 1916-1921
Mr. Cook became the first
missionary of the
Tuckasegee Baptist
Association. A missionary
for a local association is, in
effect, the director of the
complete activities of the
association. As part of his
work with the churches he
founded The Tuckasegee
Baptist, the association's
newspaper, to keep the far
flung and hard-to-get-to
church's information.
During the same years the
Reverend Cook did not limit
his missionary work to
Jackson county, but he served
Western North Carolina
as a member of the State
Mission Board. The Cooks
also founded the area's first
Baptist Training Union.
Mrs. Cook passed away in
1921. Mr. Cook moved to
Murphy for a year and in
1922 he married Miss Lillian
Stillwell of Webster, the
daughter of Richard S. and
Martha Allman Stillwell.
Together the Cooks moved
east to Lowell. Again Mr.
Cook had found a perfect
partner for his profession
and his life. "Miss Lillian"
managed his home, reared
his children, and assisted his
ministry. In pamphlets and
church notices her picture
appeared beside his as his
equal in the operation of
their churches. Mter three
years in Lowell and four
years in Kings Mountain,
the Cooks returned to
Webster, familiar ground
for Mr. Cook and home to
Mrs. Cook. The Cook would
not leave the mountains
again. From 1929 until 1943
they led the congregation of
the Webster Baptist Church
and ministered to the
physical and spiritual needs
of the village. The Reverend
Cook gave up the Webster
Church after fourteen years,
in 1943, but the Cooks did not
leave Webster. For the next
five years they served churches
across Jackson and
Haywood counties, including
Webster, 1945.
In May of 1948 Mrs. Cook
died and in December Mr.
Cook married Macon county
businesswoman Nellie West.
Mr. Cook closed his Webster
home soon after that and
moved to Mrs. Cook's home
in Franklin. He no longer
held a pulpit but he continued
with his lifelong profession
of the ministry. He
led revivals, taught classes,
performed ceremonies,
always involved in the life of
his church and community.
He passed away in Franklin
in 1958.
/'Y'\. HISTORIC~
WEBSTER
Summer , 1982 Webster, North Carolina 28788
Editor : Joe P. Rhinehart
Contributors : Janice Monteith Blanton, Mildred Cowan,
Ernest A. Fitzgerald, Jenny Hunter, Minnie Cook Nipper ,
Florence S. Rhinehart, Joe W. Rhinehart.
Published quarterly by the Webster Historical Society and
printed by the Her ald Publishing Company, Sylva, North
Carolina
Historic Webster Vol. 9 No. 1
No full textHistoric Webster is a newsletter of the Webster Historical Society, Inc., created at the Society’s founding in 1974. The publication helped to serve the Society's mission of collecting and preserving the history of Webster, North Carolina. Webster, established in 1851, was the original county seat for Jackson County.news letter of the Webster Historical Society. Inc.
VOLUME IX, NUMBER 1' WEBSTER, NORTH CAROLINA SPRING, 1983
Lilian Buchanan Began Libraries
By Lillian Wyatt Hirt
Once in a great while,
there comes along one who
is so devoted to a cause, and
expresses that devotion with
such enthusiasm, that others
inevitably are drawn to it.
Lilian Barker Buchanan is
such a person, and her cause
has always been LEARNING;
its chief vehicle,
books. Not just books to
stand on a shelf. Books to fill
libraries, and to be circulated
to people. Books to
edify and inform, to open the
minds of readers and lead
them toward understanding
of themselves and of the
world.
Lilian Buchanan has lived
a long and useful life, most
of it in Jackson County. Two
monumentS to her passion
and determination stand
now in the county: Jackson
County Public Library in
Sylva, and Hunter Library
on the campus at Western
Carolina University. Other
monumentS may be found in
the heartS and minds of hundreds,
if not thousands, of
local people and former
WCU studentS.
Although retired since
1967, and by now unknown to
Society Plans Four
Summer Evenings
Summer, 1983, will be an
exciting time to be in
Webster.
The Webster Historical
Society is planning a series
of "Summer Evenings in
Webster" for June and July,
and it invites natives and
visitors to attend the eventS.
Scheduled for Sunday
evenings at five thirty
o'clock, the programs will
feature Society members in
concertS and readings.
Mildred Cowan, Webster's
former postmaster and the
Society 's president and
music director at the
Webster Baptist Church,
will open the series with a
concert of music popular in
Webster during the late
nineteenth and early twentieth
centuries. The concert
will be in the Webster United
Methodist Church on June
26.
Lillian Hirt, Cullowhee, a
long time member of the
Society and a recently
published poet who writes
for Historic Webster, will
read the works of widely
known Webster associated
poets-Charlotte Young,
who taught at Webster
School, William Bird,
former Western Carolina
University president, and
her own material. This program
will also be at the
Webster United Methodist
Church on July 3.
Janice Monteith and Curtis
Blanton, former Webster
residentS, no living in Clinton,
Tennessee, will present
the July 10 concert of
religious music of the
Webster churches during
the late nineteenth century.
This concert is in conjunction
with the day long
celebration of the 130th anniversary
of the Webster
United Methodist Church.
The music t.'le Blantons will
present is taken from the
church records of 1882.
Janice Blanton writes a column,
"Reflections," for
Historic Webster.
The series will end with an
outdoor concert with
Spencer and Mary Clark on
the lawn of the Doug and
Louise Davis house on North
Main Street, now the home
of Hilda and Huck Hoffman.
The public should bring
blanketS and cushions for
sitting and enjoy the soft
sounds of the Spencer Clark
Trio. The Clarks moved to
Webster years ago when
they retired from the concert
stage in the North.
All of the programs are
free and the Society invites
all to visit the village which
was Jackson County's
original seat of government
and spend a summer evening
with the sights and
sounds of Western North
Carolina heritage.
many who came later, Mrs.
Buchanan's influence and
the results of her work here
will live on and on. To
understand her tremendous
impact, one must consider
her background and note
that every step she made led
directly toward goals she set
for herself.
Lilian Barker was born in
1896 in Charleston, West
Virginia, where her father
owned a lumber business.
He extended his operation
by buying a tract of 50,000
acres in Clay, Cherokee and
Graham counties in North
Carolina, and moved his
family to Andrews. As Lilian
herself related, there was no
school in Andrews at that
time, so her parentS brought
with them a governessteacher
.Jrom Charleston.
They were determined that
their children should have
every possible chance for
education. They had a
schoolroom, complete with
blackboard, in their house ;
and the four-year-Qld Lilian
would ease the door open
and listen as older siblings
did their lessons. Even then,
she was eager to learn.
Fifth in a family of eleven
children, she was reared in a
home headed by a scholarfather
and a musicianmother.
Fortunately, there
was enough money to provide
the stimulation required
by :::: e;;g~r r.:.inJ.
This one had cultural and
educational opportunities
considerably beyond the
norm in that time and place.
Lilian finished high school
in Andrews (public schools
having been established by
that time) , and in 1919 came
to teach at Sylva Collegiate
Institute. The Chairman of
the Board at SCI was a successful
Sylva attorney, later
Continued On Page 2
Eleanor Roosevelt came to Western North Carolina to address the students at Western
Carolina University through the efforts of librarian Lilian Buchanan. <Photo from University
Archives.)
Page 2, HISTORIC WEBSTER, Spring, 1983
Lilian Buchanan FoundE
Continued From Page I
District Attorney, Corsey C.
Buchanan. He and Lilian
Barker were mutually attracted
, married , and
became the parents of one
son, John. She later described
her husband as "a very
distinguished-looking real
southern gentleman". (His
life and career could well be
the subject of other articles.
He died of a heart attack in
1952. )
Because she always
sought learning, Lilian
enrolled at Cullowhee Normal
(now WCU) to continue
her studies. She was to earn
the bachelor of science
degree here, the master of
science degree at Columbia
University, and do additional
studying at other institutions.
At this point, one must
decide what to include and
what to omit from this narrative.
No one paper could
come close to defining the
event-filled life of this amazing
woman. Here, then, we
shall confine our words to
the high spots of her activities
on behalf of libraries
in Jackson County.
In her own quest for learning,
Lilian had to travel by
train to Asheville to study at
Pack Memorial Library.
This, of course, underscored
her conviction that there
should be a library nearer
home, for surely others
would need it, too.
Remembering that her
father had secured a library
for Andrews from the Andrew
Carnegie Foundation,
she reasoned that she should
be able to do the same for
Sylva. She went to the
Carnegie office in New York
with her request, only to be
told that the Foundation had
discontinued that phase of
its work.
Lilian Buchanan was
never one to be put off by a
" no" . She came back to
Sylva and approached Mr.
C.J. Harris, a wealthy industrialist
with extensive
holdings in Jackson County,
who then lived at Dillsboro.
(Previously, she had
organized a literary club in
Sylva, composed of young
women who shared her interest
in learning.)
Mr. Harris was reluctant,
because he felt that the people
themselves should show
interest in a library and be
willing to put some effort into
it. Again undiscouraged,
Lilian and her friends went
about the community asking
for donations of books and
even for library quarters. At
length , their collections
grew to a size that convinced
Mr. Harris of need for a
library. He gave his support,
and the Jackson County
Library was born. Its
history is well documented.
Lilian contributed her services
as librarian, and asked
the North Carolina Library
Commission to send someone
here to teach her the
Dewey Decimal System of
Classification.
Mrs. Buchanan accepted
the post as assistant
librarian at Western
Carolina Teachers College
in 1930, and two years later
became head librarian. She
took what was, by today's
standards, a primitive
operation, and began immediately
to concern herself
with improving its quality.
Those who have known
her through the years will
remember that when the
library was in Joyner
Building, with very limited
facilities, she ran a "taut
ship" and gave full attention
to even the most minute
details. She always studied
for the future, and was to
live to see much of her planning
become reality.
Throughout the thirtyseven
years of her tenure,
her duties were heavy and
varied. In addition to normal
library duties, she spent
considerable time teaching
and lecturing on the nature
and uses of college libraries.
She served as chairman of
the Library Committee, and
ex officio member of the
Committee on Instruction.
So eager was she to make
the library and its services
relevant to classroom needs,
she studied the catalog and
. conferred often with instructors
and department heads.
She was fully conversant
with curriculum and course
content in every department.
In addition, she was
also on the lookout for any
outside material that might
be applicable to specific
courses, and would call it to
the attention of concerned
faculty.
At last, opportunity came
to expand the library; and
not a moment too soon, so
far as Mrs. Buchanan was
concerned. She has been
given full credit for leading
in the planning of the present
Hunter Library, occupied
in 1953. Again, those
familiar with the scene thirty
years ago will recall with
what intense energy she pursued
the planning and construction
of that building.
She visited outstanding
libraries in many parts of
the country, including Harvard's
Widener Libra~y , to
gain information and see
how certain features might
be adapted to the needs and
the budget of Western
Carolina.
Promoting her own ideas
and those gleaned from
other institutions, Lilian
literally dug in her heels for
the long battles ahead. She
knew they were sure to
come, for she would insist on
some features that would
seem unnecessary, if not
outlandish, to those unfamiliar
with the inner
workings of a library.
She fought for Hunter
Library. She fought administration,
faculty, and
trustees when necessary, to
assure that the facility
would be the best and most
modern it could possibly be.
She was zealous in keeping
an eye on local and state
budgets, and made no bones
of her intention to see that
allocations were kept in proper
perspective. She felt
that the library was at least
as important as the athletic
program (to her, of course,
much more so) , and did not
hesitate to speak up in that
regard.
Mrs . Buchanan had
friends in high places, both
political and social, and did
not mind using those connections
when to do so would advance
the cause of the
library and the school as a
whole.
Hunter Library became
quite literally the cultural
center of Western North
Carolina, at least for a long
while. The gallery, with its
adjoining kitchen, served
numerous purposes, and in
its time, was the only such
place available west of
Asheville. In it were held
multiple campus events
such as banquets, dances,
teas, recitals, benefit bridge
parties , lectures , conferences,
and many others.
The kitchen was well
equipped with sturdy china,
glassware, silverware, and
cooking utensils. Three hundred
people could be served
comfortably. A staff lounge
near the gallery, student
lounge on the main floor,
faculty lounge on the top
floor, with adjoining roof
garden-all were important
to the quality of campus life,
both academic and social.
Eventually, of course, these
features would have to be
converted to strictly
utilitarian purposes as the
school grew and the library
became overcrowded. (Arecent
addition to Hunter
Library has more than
doubled the floor space, and
facilities unheard of in the
earlier days have been added.)
Free movies, latest productions
as well as classics,
were shown in the gallery
every Thursday all day and
evening, with the use of professional
projectors.
The gallery also served as
art gallery and showcase for
specialized displays. In this
connection, Mrs. Buchanan
had arranged for fine art
works to be available for circulation,
which could be
checked out in the same
manner as books. Through
her efforts, funds were raised
to have portraits painted
of all the institution's
presidents, from Madison to
Reid, to be hung in the
library. Likewise, some of
her own friends raised funds
for her portrait, which was
also hung in the library.
No words about Mrs.
Buchanan would be complete
without mention of her
many years of service as
head of the Concert and Lectures
Committee (originally
known as Lyceum Committee).
Through that medium,
she brought · to Western
North Carolina some of the
biggest names of the day in
entertainment, journalism,
politics, and literature. She
cared deeply about providing
opportunity for the
students, particularly, to be
!d Libraries
~xposed to a broad cultural
;pectrum.
If we have omitted much
nention of Lilian
3uchanan's community serlice
in Jackson County, it is
;imply because space
imitations do not permit
tdequate coverage of her
widespread interests and ac:
ivities.
She was one of the
·ounders of the Twentieth
~e ntury Club in Sylva,
which is still a powerful
:ommunity influence. She
was a charter member of
.he Cullowhee Garden Club.
lhe became interested in the
United Nations at its beginn~
· and spent several years
This portrait of Lilian
Buchanan hangs in the WCU
Hunter Library.
enlarging upon her
knowledge and speaking
about it to civic and educational
groups throughout the
state.
As years take their toll,
Mrs. Buchanan is no longer
physically active. She
resides now in a nursing
home in Texas, to be near
her son John and his family .
One should not be misled
by her inactivity, however.
That brilliant mind is as
sharp as ever, and despite
the limitations of arthritis,
she maintains a keen interest
in the world and its affairs.
As nearly as a human being
could qualify, she was
and is truly one of a kind.
Mrs. Lilian Buchanan Greets Visitors to
Western North Carolina
Mabel Wolfe Wheaton , sister of the Western North Carolina author, Thomas Wolfe, visited
the University and presented WoUe's portrait to Mrs. Lilian Buchanan and the library.
Lady Bird Johnson, wife of the President, and Janelle Moore, wife of Webster native,
Governor Dan Killian Moore, attended the dedication of the addition to the Hunter Library
in 1953. With Mrs. Johnson, Mrs. Buchanan, and Mrs. Moore are the University President
and Mrs. Paul A. Reid. Photos from Public Information , Western Carolina University,
Cullowhee, North Carolina .
Spring, 1983, HISTORIC WEBSTER, Page 3
By Suzie R. Bryson
Mrs. Lillian Buchanan, as
knew her during my
twenty-eight years of service
at Western Carolina
University, was my ideal
person. I worked eight years
at Moore Dormitory, on the
campus, but when the school
built Hunter Library, I had
the honor of being selected
as her maid for the library.
Along with my work, Mrs.
Buchanan taught me many
things : setting and arranging
tables, and serving
distinguished guests, which
I enjoyed very much. In
those days I was working for
a purpose : to educate my
children. I love people, so
my work was a pleasure and
an education.
Mrs. Buchanan was one of
the most! With her loyalty
and dedicated life she was a
great leader. Her motto was
to lift the standard of
civilization, among our people.
She reached out to help
the unfortunate ones. She
contributed much to the
social program of Western
Carolina University. She
demonstrated a dynamic
faith of tremendous unmet
needs . She distinguished
herself at Western Carolina
University. She weathered
"She had
a zeal
and
strength
to see
others
grow"
the storms which were not.
easy ones. It took prayer
and loyalty, built upon a
firm foundation, and she
realized it was not achieved
by her efforts alone. Behind
every good leader is a staff,
and with earnest cooperation,
she with her staff, did a
great job.
Mrs. Buchanan is like a
sturdy tree, its roots deep in
the subsoil by the waterside.
She had a zealous determination
to help others grow
in strength and statue.
I heard Mr. Roscoe Drummon,
from New York, say,
"I saw the key to Western
Carolina University tonight,
Mrs. Buchanan."
Had it not been for Mrs.
Buchanan, I would not have
had the honor of serving at
the University's receptions
and teas. Among
distinguished guests who
visited the library were Mrs.
Eleanor Roosevelt, Ms .
Margaret Truman, Mrs.
Lady Bird Johnson, Miss
Delia Reese and many
others.
Mrs. Buchanan took me to
Missouri, two trips to visit
her children, and they were
a dream of my life. Her encouragement
has helped my
children with the positions
they hold today.
Mrs. Susie Bryson, Lilian Buchanan's friend and helper, in
the Hunter Library kitchen .
Page 4, HISTORIC WEBSTER, Spring, 1983
Reflections Mrs. Louise Davis
Church
Plans
by Janice Monteith Blanton Events
Was she "Gossiping Gertie"?
Who secretly wrote
Webster High School
Ridgeruntier's "latest
loves" column for years
without anyone learning
his/her identity? "Gossiping
Gertie" was the Webster
School's most awaited column
because it revealed all
the obvious and known loves
of the school as well as lessknown
surprise budding
romances which no one
suspected .. No doubt when
students got their Ridgerunners
on Friday afternoon,
the majority flipped immediately
to the back page
to see if they made the lovenews
that issue. Was Mrs.
Louise Davis, Webster
School's twelfth grade
English teacher and sponsor
of the award-winning
Ridgerunner, author of this
popular student column?
Many of us students
suspected Mrs. Davis, but,
of course, she pleaded ignorance
and never admitted
to it. We'll never know for
sure.
Mrs. Davis, upon her marriage
to Doug Davis, moved
to Webster as a young bride.
While not a native of
Webster, she made outstanding
and important contributions
to the development
of Webster's youth and
to capturing Webster 's
heritage. English teacher,
sponsor of the school
newspaper, The Ridgerunner,
Sunday School teacher,
supporter of Webster's
youth, alder "woman," and
originator of this publication
are but a few of the activities
to which Mrs. Davis
diligently gave her talents
and energies.
I doubt that one could talk
with any former student of
hers who would not state
that Mrs. Davis was one of
the best teachers he ever
had. "Strictly business" was
her approach in the
classroom; however, the
more we got to know her, the
more we could see that
behind her stern exterior
was an enjoyment, appreciation,
and love for
young people which could
not be easily hidden. She
knew English and taught it
to us in such a way that we
learned quite a bit in spite of
ourselves. Her vigor for
literature and dry sense of
humor made this study particularly
lively and enjoyable-
even Shakespeare
was not totally a waste
under her tutorage! Mrs.
Davis seemed to have an
unusually keen insight into
the personalities and
capabilities of her students.
This was evidenced each
year as she chose the senior
play to match the class and
then matched students to
various roles in the plays. It
seemed as if she observed
and evaluated her class during
the year, and Bingo,
toward the end of the year
came forth with a perfect
play for them! Often, she
put students in roles whom
no one else would have
thought could have ever
acted and made them stars,
and she always matched
parts and student personalities
perfectly.
Those of us who were fortunate
enough to be on The
Ridgerunner staff were able
to put what we learned in
Mrs. Davis' classroom into
practice. She was a tough
task-master as sponsor of
this publication and accepted
nothing but our best
efforts, both in the actual
writing of the articles and in
the mechanics of physically
getting the paper "off the
press." (I shudder to think
what choice words she
would have for the grammar
and mechanics of this article.)
This striving for excellence
which was
characteristic of all Mrs.
Davis' endeavors paid off
over and over again as The
Ridgerunner took top
awards in publication competition
through,the years. I
never will forget that when I
was a senior, we were frantically
putting together an
issue of the paper and trying
to get it ready to give out to
the student body at 3:00p.m.
It happened that this particular
issue was one which
we would enter into competi-ed
the Issue together and got
the copies delivered before
the bell rang. Afterwards, as
we were standing around
relieved and congratulating
ourselves for "pulling it
off," Mrs. Davis descended
upon us-more specifically,
on ME! She emphatically
pointed to the front page article
mentioned above and
read me the "Riot Act"
about the error of my ways.
Would you believe that in the
hectic rush (or maybe I
didn't know how to spell it? ),
I had spelled NOT medal,
but metal! Oh, boy, did I
ever know the difference in
the spelling of those two
words by 3:05 p.m. that
afternoon! Needless to say,
we redid the first page
before entering that issue in
competition. (It did win
though.)
A faithful member of the
Webster Methodist Church,
Mrs. Davis could usually be
seen walking to church each
Sunday morning with her Bible
and Sunday school book
in hand. Since she taught
adults, I was not exposed to
her Sunday school teaching,
but I have heard my Mom
and others attest to her fine
ability to vividly and accurately
teach the scriptures.
While we young people
had little direct dealings
with Mrs. Davis in the
church setting, we easily
sensed her strong support
for us and the work we did in
the church. We always felt
Mrs. Davis was proud of us.
7'Jt•h0R-5e..UO«.. ~ ~ .. ~'5\..6'( 1
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Historic Webster Vol. 7 No. 4
No full textHistoric Webster is a newsletter of the Webster Historical Society, Inc., created at the Society’s founding in 1974. The publication helped to serve the Society's mission of collecting and preserving the history of Webster, North Carolina. Webster, established in 1851, was the original county seat for Jackson County.newsletter of the Webster Historical Society, Inc.
VOLUME VII, NUMBER 4 WEBSTER, NORTH CAROLINA WINTER, 1981
National Leaders Come From Jackson County
From The Asheville Citizen, J anua ry I, 1932
Cullowhee, Dec. 31. (Special)-Jackson county has contributed some of Western
North Carolina ·s most distinguished native sons. These sons have gone out into
several sections of the nation and are now blessing their fellow men in several fields of
work.
The Rev. Dr. Fred Brown, for many years pastor of the First Baptist church,
Knoxville, Tenn., and at present president of the Southern Baptist convention, was
born at Glenville, in the heart of Jackson county's famous cabbage country. Dr.
Brown is the son of Horace A. and Laura Woodard Brown and is descended from fine
old mountain stock. Both his grandparents were pioneer Baptist preachers.
Dr. Brown received his early education in a semi-private school conducted at
Tuckaseegee, near here, by A. M. Dawson, a graduate of Western Reserve
University. His later education was received at Mars Hill college, Wake Forest
college, the Southern Baptist Theological seminary, and other institutions of higher
learning.
Dr. John Brinkley, of Milford, Kan., twice candidate for the governorship of the
Sunflower State, was born and reared near East La Porte, Jackson county. A
movement is now under way to change the name of his adopted home town in Kansas
from Milford to Brinkley in his honor.
Others have gone out from Jackson county to make distinguished names for
themselves. They include Wood Middleton, president of Draughton's Business
college, Winston-Salem. Holmes Bryson, form er head of the Ashe ville Chamber of
Commerce, Dr. Ed Bryson, mayor of Liberty, S. C., and Felix E. Alley, or
Waynesville, prominent lawyer and Democratic orator. Sara Whitesides Norton, the
mother of Felix Alley, was the first white child born within a radius of 40 miles of
Cashiers Valley, in Jackson county's beautiful Sapphire country.
Many of the natives of the county who still live within its borders are known far and
wide for their distinguished public services. Mrs. E. L. McKee, of Sylva, is North
Carolina 's first woman state senator and is former president of the North Carolina
United Daughters of the Confederacy, former president of the State Federation of
Women's clubs, and former head of the Southeastern Council of Federated Women 's
clubs. Mrs. McKee was a delegate this year to the national Democratic convention.
Judge Walter E. Moore, of Sylva, a member of the North Carolina superior court
bench and former grand master of North Carolina Masons, is not a native of Jackson
county, but has lived here for many years. Other distinguished adopted sons are Col.
Charles J . Harris, of Dillsboro, president of the Jackson County bank, owner of
extensive mining interests, and former candidate for governor of North Carolina on
the Republican ticket; Robert Lee Madison, of Cullowhee, founder of Western
Carolina Teachers college here; and Dr. H. T. Hunter. for ten years president of
Western Carolina Teachers college and prominent leader in the Western North
Carolina Live-a t-Home movement.
W. E. Bird, dean of Western Carolina Teachers college, and E. H. Stillwell, head of
the history department and author of a history of Western North Carolina, are both
natives of Jackson county. Dean Bird \\'as born at Qualls and Professor Stillwell was
born near Webster, the old county seat.
FRED BROWN JOHN BRINKLEY WOOD MIDDLETON HOLMES BRYSON ED BRYSON FELIX ALLEY MRS. E. L. McKEE
WALTER MOORE HARRIS MADISON H. T. HUNTER W. E. BIRD E . II. STILLWELL
Photogra ph s from
Rachel Brown Phillips,
The Asheville-CitizenTimes,
Woodrow Midd
le ton , Marshall R .
Bryson, Hannah Moore,
We bster Histori ca l
Society, C. J. Harris
Community Hospita l,
and the Special Collec·
tions of Hunter Library .
Western Carolin a
University.
Page 2, HISTORIC WEBSTER, Winter, 1981
Buchanan Loop Opens New Vistas
Spring. summer , and fall th r loo)l
is lined with the wildflowr•·s of
Western North Carolina .
The sort and rolling mountains of the Blue Ridge surround th e village and provide a constantly chan ging and inS)liring
panorama to the Webster residents .
Barns. old and no longer used. stand in meadows Filled
with b.-iars th a t de light th e sum me •· ben.y picker.
By AnneS. and John W.
McFadden, Jr.
Kate, George, Frank, Roythe
neighbors of the Webster
loop, and the loop itself, have
been an integral part of our
lives for the past nine years.
When it was narrower and
ditt carpeted we pushed little
Anmarie around it in her
stroller. It was a time of
evening marvel. We saw and
. tasted wild fruits-blackberries,
blueberries, crabapples,
plums, and s.trawberries. Bird
varieties abounded and wild
flowers entertained us with
ever changing and vibrant
colors.
About five years ago the
road was widened and paved
and the activities on it increased.
Websterites took to it
Webster Promenade
in numbers and joyously embraced
its potential. Joggers,
strollers, fast walkers, bike
and horseback riders , and
skate hoarders siezed the
opportunities the newly paved
road provided.
The wider cut opened a larger
panorama of natural
beauty. In the summer we
pass through the morning mist
grateful for its coolness.
Flowery shows are extrava·
gent and tasty wild fruits
tempt us to gather them. The
box turtles, snakes, cattle,
horses, cats, and dogs observe
our passing. Oftentimes, as
many as eight dogs will join
our jog ; glad to see each
other, rolling and playing all
the while like kids playing tag.
The fall brings cooler, crisper
more invirgorating air; a
peaceful stillness, and a burst
of color carpeting to cover the
hills. Sunsets are spectacular.
Wooly worms cross the road in
determined numbers and the
dogs still happily greet us.
In winter the loop has the
sparkle and color of crystal
coldness. It offers a time for
solitude and escape from over
heated houses. The dog escort
is smaller, the flowers are
resting and the birds are
quiet. It's time for the winter
star of the show, the skyline,
to captivate us .
Spring knows we are ready
for her, and the loop, like
nature, bursts once again into
activity. Leaves shyly begin to
cover bare trees. The pave·
ment and air mellow. Seasonal
friends return, newcom·
ers build, and gardens are
planted. Woodpeckers, hummingbirds,
and bluebirds join
the crows, jays and redbirds.
Little Ryan calls from his
The Don llens ley home in Kin~ ·s Mounta in
shadow. one of many new houses along
Bucha na n Loop. has •·eplaced the Nathan
Coward house.
play, " Hi, where are you
going?",and neighbors ex·
change smiles, waves, and
breathless greetings as they
pass.
The centerstone in the loop's
glitterin g_ .ring is the cemetery
on the knoll. Throughout all
the Seasons it reminds us of
the ·natural order of life. This
well kept hillside cradles residents
from ahtiquity to those
newly missed. We like to think
they are watching the loop's
promenade from their special
place.
The loop is a wonderous
slice of life. A turn around it
refreshes one both ))hysica lly
and emotionally and gives
nourishment to the roots of his
life.
Anne and .John McFadden .
as a vid We bs tt> •· joggers. know
th(' loop intim a t e ly .
\
\
WEB
CEME
!
KING'S MOUNTAII\.l
OL.O
~\J C.H.ANAN:
HOvS!l
FAANK.
Buc.I-\/INAN 'S
GARDEN
HISTORIC WEBSTER, Winter. 1981, Pa ge:~
Dirt roads and drives go off the loop in a ll directions and ofrer
the wa lker new pa ths to explore .
Along the village ma in street a re houses new and old . showing hi stor y and change. The
McKee l-louse. now owned by Lona McKee and R. L. ll askett . r eflects the Webster of the
nineteenth century.
Near the top of the loop is the Webs ter Cemetery where r est many town citi zens.
leader s of loca l. st ate. and na tiona l events.
Ml11 Lucy .. . without a doubt, no generation of Webster's
young people "escaped" the opportu:lity to break in their knees
on her hardwood floors!
None of us was immune to being approached by Miss Lucy
with the proposition to help clean her beautiful large two-story
house. It's important to understand this was not just any
ordinary cleaning job; it was an education in housekeeping as
there was ·a defiDlte way to clean everything, especially her
hardwood floors. These· floors had to be mopped across the
woodgrain-to minimize pulling up splinters.
Naturally, hovering close by on all the various jobs was Miss
Lucy herself, seeing that we did a meticulous job in every
respect ; if we didn't, we didn't lack for proper instruction for
improvement. But then, what better way for us to get an inside
look into the dozen or so rooms of the big historical home on the
corner which housed only one little white headed lady? And,
after all-the pay was good: a cookie (or two-GOOD
HOMEMADE ONES)-and a glas8 of Kool-aid. In those days.
that was not bad; at lea st we didn 't compla in . If we did a good
job, we might even be rehired at a later date, usua ll .v the next
summer for as I was growing up, Miss Lucy generally was only
in Webster during the summers. She spent the rest of the year at
the Crossnore School working daily with young people from all
over the country, and out of the . country as well.
Sometimes· Miss Lucy brought one of the Crossnore students
with her to Webster in the summer. I remember in particular a
German girl named Marion Ufinger, with whom I became good
friends. She was a very large girl and since I was large for my
age too, I concluded I must be of German " stock" as well.
"Miss Lucy's back," was a familiar comment among the
Webster folks in the spring as she returned to open and air her
house for summer living .. Soon a lawnmower could be heard
getting the yard in shape and the familiar vase of Queen Ann's
lace would appear on the front porch. Miss Lucy loved flowers
and would quickly be seen in her yard giving her flowers and
shrubs loving attention. For years, she had a beautiful mixture
of tame and wild flowers across the road from her house by the
road up the hill to Ha lls ' . Her peonies and roses wer e always
healthy and lovely as well. Many of the flowers are still there for
neighbors to enjoy and remember Miss Lucy by.
One of Webster's loviest southern ladies, Miss Lucy had
absolutely beautiful white hair which was always soft and clean
and neatly styled on top of her head. Generally dressed in a
clean pressed cotton dress, she spent the summer working in her
yard, walking up and down the street chatting with her neighbors,
and visiting both the Methodist and Baptist churches; by
the time she became a familiar sight in the village, she was gone
again for the winter.
Even though Miss Lucy never married or had children of her
own, upon reflection, I realize that young people really played a
major part in her life. At Crossnore or in Webster, she seemed to
relate to youngsters. I can recall my sister, Joyce, telling how as
she was growing up, Miss Lucy was their scout leader. She tOOk
them on camping, swimming, and hiking excursions and apparently
enjoyed working with them. As I was growing up, she 'was
older, and I'm not so sure my generation was such a joy to her! I
recall once Nell (Enslh Bryson) and I were lucky enough to
persuade her to let us play in the little "house" attached to her
garage. We had a ball that morning because the place was like a
real kitchen, with cooking utensils, flour , and everything. Well,
neediess to say, when Miss Lucy checked on us only to find both
us and the whole room snow white with flour from the cake we
we re in the process or ba king. She wasn 't very happy! For some
reason, she never did let up play there again; we just had to be
content trying to P"!!P through the window to see the room that
for one day had allowed us to be "ladies of the house."
To me, the Grove and "Big Lot" are synonymous with Miss
Lucy. She was the proprietor of both, and each of them offered
very special childhood environments for us youngsters. The
Grove was a wonderland all its own : cool, private, and intriguing.
We could play in the tall deep pines, and sit on the cool green
moss, with our childish imaginations taking care of the rest, unbeknown
to anyone, and no one (not even Miss Lucy) seemed to
object. Now, the Big Lot was another matter. It was a perfect
place (in fact, the only place other than the school playground)
for Webster youth to gather and play hall. Our chances of using
the Big Lot undisturbed for our ball games obviously were much
better when Miss Lucy was away! Being a partic.ular yard lady,
she didn't exactly appreciate her nice green grass being
s tomped out by dozens of active running and sliding feet.
Miss Lucy doesn't return to Webster anymore now, even in the
summers, and I'm sure her familiar presence is missed by the
rema ining neighbors who knew her so we ll. The beautiful old
house is still there, tall and distinguished from recent renovation
by its new owner, but the present generation of young folks
will miss the opportunity to wander through the house with
imaginations of yesteryear and to scrub the hardwood floors
with a little white headed lady as their overseer. Too bad, for
while they might have been a little awed by Miss Lucy, they
would have liked and admired her as alt other generations of
Webster youth did.
Page 4, HISTORIC WEBSTER, Winter, 1981
Making the Mountains of North Carolina Home
Webster Becomes Home
By Arnold R. Denker!
It all began while reading an
advertisement in our local
Florida newspaper describing
a vacation lodge in the mountains
of Western North Carolina.
The lodge was owned by
Mr. Ward of Wards' Cabins
located on the Tuckasegee
River near Dillsboro.
A telephone call to Mr. Ward
secrued the lodge for the first
week of August 1970 and we
could now show our five
grandchildren, who had never
been outside Florida, and who
had never seen a hill, much
less a mountain, the Great
Smoky Mountains!
The five grandchildren,
three boys and two girls, at
that time ranging in ages from
seven to fifteen years, were
greatly excited and their
minds were filled with
thoughts and dreams of expectation,
as their parents
gave their consents for the trip
and all proceeded to make
preparations for the motor
trip to the far away state of
North Carolina.
The trip was estimated as
about eight hundred miles,
and would involve two days of
travel time.
Our daughter, Jane joined
the party at Atlanta and soon
we entered the Great Smoky
Mountain State. A beautiful
sign at the border, just beyond
Clayton, · Georgia, bids us
"Welcome" . . and from there
a detailed hand drawn map by
Mr. Ward directed us to our
lodge.
Then followed a busy week
of sight seeing, picnicing, wading
the Tuckasegee, trying
out Sliding Rock, exploring
the Blue Ridge Parkway and
Water Rock Knob, and hiking.
This then was our introduction
to North Carolina and
having fallen in love with our
surroundings, we returned the
following year for the entire
month of August, and again
the third and the fourth year.
We decided that we should
spend the entire summer in
North Carolina and we purchased
a lot and built our
home across the street from
the old elementary school.
Thus was our second home
established in the quiet and
picturesque setting of historic
Webster, Jackson County.
Since this time we have
acquired some acreage nearby,
where we are presently
growing several thousand pine
trees, some of which are no~
five years old, and which we
shall market this fall for landscaping
purposes and for
Christmas trees.
Our garden plot is also
flourishing and helps to keep
our freezer and our pantry
filled with all sorts of vegetables,
both fresh and canned;
we also have strawberries,
grapes and blackberries
which we convert into jams
and jellies for our sweet teeth.
We have but one peach tree
and last year it was loaded
with the most delicious large
Maxine and Arnold Denkert show their daughter J ane Fohl
<center ) of Gaither sburg. Mar yland, the beapty of their new
homeland .
fruit that we were able to
supply the entire neighborhood.
Besides a house and garden
plot on our lot, we have two
other houses-actually they
are small apartments, consisting
of twelve compartments
each. And who do you think
occupies them? Why- Purple
Martins, of course! They keep
us entertained from March
until August each year, as well
as keep our yard and garden
free of flys, mosquitos, and
other flying insects.
Now this August 198 1 is the
eleventh anniversary of our
first visit to this s ta te. We love
our home and We bst er and the
many friendly, neighborly,
and helpful people. We shall
forgo naming them for fear of
overlooking someone, and besides
the list would be too long
for this column. Suffice to say,
we love them all and wish all
much joy, health, prosperity
and happiness.
In conclusion, may we add
the words of a church choir
anthem:
"Purge, from our hearts all
bitter thoughts of hatred.
Clense, Thou our minds
from every stain of sin.
That we may live ·in brotherly
affection, worthy to
have Thy Spirit dwell within."
Webster Historical Society
officers for 1981-1982 are:
MOdred Cowan, President
Box 186
Webster, NC 28788
Dale Coward, Vice President
Norton Road
Cashiers. NC 28717
Mary Morris, Secretary
Box 3
Webster, NC 28788
Jim Simpson, Treasurer
Box 126
Webster, NC 28788
Kate Rhinehart, Membership
Court House Square
Webster, NC 28788
Joe P . RhiDehart, Editor
1325 13th Street, NW No. 60Z
Washington, DC 20005
The officers would be glad to
hear from the society members
and the editor of Historic
Webster would be pleased to
receive manuscripts, photographs,
and story suggestions
for future editions of the
newspaper. When correspOnding
with the society, it would
be helpful if members would
identify themselves with their
relationship to Webster.
~/'. HISTORIC~
WEB8TE:R
Winter . 1981
Editor:
••• , }.. .. , ., ..• , 'I "' · ...
We bs ter. North Ca rolina 28788
Joe P . Rhinehart
Co n~ributor s: J anice Monteith Blanton . Arnold Denkert. J en·
ny Hunter. Anne McFadden. J ohn McFadden. J r .. Florencf'
S. Rhinehart
Published qua rterly by the Webster Historical Society and
printed by the Herald Publishing Company, Sylva, North
Carolina
Historic Webster Vol. 6 No. 3
No full textHistoric Webster is a newsletter of the Webster Historical Society, Inc., created at the Society’s founding in 1974. The publication helped to serve the Society's mission of collecting and preserving the history of Webster, North Carolina. Webster, established in 1851, was the original county seat for Jackson County.~HISTORIC~
WEBSTB:R newsletter of the Webster Historica l Society, Inc.
VOLUME VI, NUMBER 3 WEBSTER, NORTH CAROLINA SUMMER, 1979
On the
Scene
with
Lawrence C.
Frizzell
"Preachers"
We had " Preachers" not Ministers,
in those days, and their
lot was a ra ther hard one. Their
pay , if you could call it that, was
pract ically nil, and the collections
at the services amounted
to very little, most of which had
to be forwarded to the higher
echelons of the church. The
members of the congregations·
helped out with food, clothing ,
and anything else that was seriously
needed. Thinking of their
plight in these enlightened
times makes me shudder. but at
that they weren't much worse
off than the rest of us.
It is interes ting to recall some
of these preachers at the Webster
Methodist Church. One was
named Cordell (my middle
name came from hirri ), but he
was before my time. Then we
had one named Richards, or
Pritchard, or something like
that, who rode a high spirited
gray horse. He frequently rode
to our house to spend the night
with us. I admired him very
much because he had the cou·
rage to ride a horse that always
seemed about to toss him over
his head. Then there was Mr.
John Peeler, who, like nearly
everybody else, chewed tobac·
co. His favorite was "Brown 's
Mule" , which he pronounced
"Brown's Mu·el". His wife was
on of the most cultured persons
in the area , who liked to quote
poetry and other famous sayings
. Mr. Clyde, a graduate of
Furman University, liked to
organize the boys of his congre·
galion, and hold prayer meet·
ings with them in the barn back
of the parsonage. Why he held
them there instead of the
church escapes me. He prea·
ched some very eloquent ser·
mons, and combined some of
them with acrobatics. On one
occasion, to emphasize a point,
he leaped to the top of the railing
around the pulpit and balan·
ced himself there briefl y. On
another occasion his sermon
was based on a text about the
care of th flock, or congre·
galion, and the refrain through·
out the sermon was "Fee my
Sheep". His two daughters,
Mabel and Helen, come vividly
to my mind to this day. They
and Stella Broyles, Edith
Moore, Florence Rhinehart,
Jessie Stillwell , Lucy and Myr·
tie Hedden, Lena Cowan, and
Gertrude and Ina Brown for med
a very interesting group
at the school.
ColorH"I F r izzdl 's ~..:o lumn now
is a re_gular l·ea ture in I-llS·
TORIC WEBSTER and in the
next issue he will write about
"Preachers.··
Gertrude Dills McKee
N.C.'s first woman senator
This oil portrait of the late Mrs. Gertrude Dills
McKee was placed in the North Carolina headquarters
of the General Women's Clubs in Raleigh as
a memorial to Mrs. McKee. Mrs. McKee served the
state in many ways-social, political and religious.
By Joe P. Rhinehart
Part one in a series or 3
"As the mo.untains stand graceful and sturdy in the clear mountain
air of autumn, so stood Gertrude Dills McKee," began an
Asheville Citizen editorial on the death of Mrs. McKee.
"Her charm was a compound of womanly gentleness, warmth of
spirit and unselfish interest in the welfare of friends and ru:quaintances.
Her smile won over the shy person and fairly infected all
those who came in contact with her. Her loyalty was firm and
unswerving, whether to friend or to principal which she considered
worthy.
"These attributes and a keen informed sense of social responsibility
were heavily invested in the progress of North Carolina.
Mrs. McKee received many honors. But they were more than earned.
"She was the first woman to sit in the Senate of North Carolina
and would have served a fourth term in that body had she lived.
Education and so.cial legislation were her particular. fields of interest.
Laws .which she sponsored or supported became model
statutes-which is a fair test of legislative ability .and accomplishment.
In the best .sense of the phrase, Mrs. McKee was a
typical 'woman in politics .'
"To club work she gave generously of her time and abilities. Her
efforts helped to put and keep the General Federation of Women's
Clubs in the forefront of North Carolina's progress. She was no less
devoted to the forwarding of public education-in the schools of
North Carolina, as a member of the State Board of Education ; in
the Greater Univ_ersity, as a member of the Commission on Consolidation;
in the colleges of North Carolina as a trustee of three in·
stitutions, and especially as a long friend and patron of Western
Carolina College (University). There at Cullowhee a building was
named in her honor, and several years ago the Women's College of
the University of North Carolina Cnow UNC at Greensboro) confer red
upon her an honorary doctor of laws degree.
"But as much as Mrs .. McKee was devoted to the people of her
region and state, her grace and charm found full expression in the
home as wife and mother. She was a winning hostess. Young people
were attracted to her and found her keenly alive to their interests.
She had a capacious sense of humor and the humanness. which goes
with it. She was unfailingly generous, and always without obstentation.
"The stamp of the mountains was upon Gertrude Dills McKee.
And the region which she loved happily is left with a deep impress
of her loyalty, kindliness, and good works."
continued on Page 4
Early Webster was a busy place
By JOHN Pi\KKIS
July 4- Gleanings from the
horse-and-buggy era , or who
remembers back when this
hi ll·top vi llage was called Webster-
On-The-Bridge?
For a stroll down memory
lane, come along and browse
through the musty, dusty files of
The Tuckaseigee Democrat.
ITEM: Folks got mighty ex·
cite<:t around here in July of
1879.
Frank Carter had struck it
rich and Webster was destined
to mushroom into an oil town.
Workmen bormg a water-well
at the Carter residence struck
oil at a depth of 65 feet.
"For a couple days," wrote
Editor Tompkins, "the exhala tions
were as pronounced as
ever issued from any oil can.
During the same time a bubbling
noise as of escaping gas
could be distinctly heard.
.Water drawn up had oil floating
on its surface ... But as the hole
deepened the noise ceased and
evidences of oil disappeared."
ITEM: There was no stopping
a girl of 13 from getting married
back '89, particularly if her
father happened to be the
county register of deeds.
" Quite a romantic affair occured
at Webster last Tuesday
night," wrote Tompkins.
"There was a festival at the
Methodist Church, and a pretty
miss of 13 and her lover were
present.
"The festivit ies broke up
about midnight, and the young
couple left for home, as was
supposed , in a buggy. But
instead of going home they went
to Sylva, where they were
married.
"The young lady is a daughter
of the Register of Deeds of
J ackson County, and had previously
gone into her father's
office and filled out a marriage
license, which was used at the
marriage ceremony. ' '
Tompkins reported that this
"genuine runaway marriage is
the latest sensation in Web-continued
on Page 4 Mrs. Emma Long Coward
Page 2, HISTORIC WEBSTER, Summer, 1979
Pages from a Webster scrapbook PhotographsfromlsabeiAI
itil'>:;i ' ~·If~ ~~.J-h,..,... c,,."' .._.,. ,'~ ....,..K~ C.,.,o-~_,
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'0~ -A ,l"\.~ ;fo'O ..........
I
lison q:arlton, Annie Louise Madison Reed, and Kate Rhinehart
C "-""\ ftillwcJJ ~':J ~""...:'~ ~.~'f"~
if~"
HISTORIC WEBSTER, Summer, 1979, Page 3
;:....._). ~~1lo"e. _,""'Ff.,.ef
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Page 4, HISTORIC WEBSTER, SUMMER 1979
Mc:Kee was early leader
continued rrom P~ ge t
Gertrude Dills was born in
1886 in the little mountain
village of Dillsboro in Jackson
County. She was the daughter of
William Dills, legislator from
Jackson in 1889 and founder of
the town of Dillsboro. Her
mother was Alice Enloe Dills.
Mr. Dills was a business man of
unusual ability. Having three
daughters and no sons, there
seemed little likelihood that
there would be a successor to
his service. In his day there was
little or nothing known of the
possibilities of women's talents.
It would have warmed his heart
and the heart of every pioneer
worker for the women's movement
to have s.een the enthusiam
with which. his second
daughter was elected the first
woman state senator in North
Carolina.
At Peace College in Raleigh
Miss Gertrude Dills was president
nf her class and sorority.
In the class of 1905 she was graduated
with highest honors.
From her graduation until
her marriage to Ernest Lyndon
A worker
in the women's
movement
McKee, a pioneer industrialist
in Jackson County, on August
19, 1913, Miss Dills taught
school.
Mrs. McKee began her first
organization work during World
War I, when she began to attract
statewide attention for the
effective work she did for the
Salvation Army, Liberty Loans,
and savings stamp drives.
Mrs. McKee's first state office
came in .May of 1925 when
she was elected president of
North Carolina Federation of
Women's Clubs. She campaigned
for a survey of women in industry.
Although the survey
was never made, she did pursuade
Governor A. W. McLean
to order it, after he had decided
against it. However, it was finally
called off when a controyersy
_ arose over who should
conduct the investigation.
The women of North Carolina
were_ well represented when
they chose Mrs. McKee as their
leader. No matter where she
went she was fighting for the
rights of her fellow women.
At a convention in Asheville,
she told the Carolina women
that the ballot was the strongest
weapon of their sex. It was time
for them to start going to conventions
and primaries .and in
this way began to discharge
their responsibilities as citizens.
Mrs. McKee said that she saw
ation. At Charleston she was
chosen president by unanimous
vote.
Mrs. Eugene Davis of Wilson,
North Carolina, said, " If North
Carolina Club women could
have seen Mrs. McKee and
heard her address at the closing
session when she was presented
in her new role, they would have
thrilled with pride as the two
North Carolina representatives
did."
On her last day in Charleston
she reviewed the troops at Fort
Moultrie. " I know one thmg, 1
was thrilled," said Mrs. Mc.Kee,
who served as state and council
president at the same time.
In October of 1928 the North
Carolina division of the United
Daughter's of the Confederacy
<UDC) called her to duty as president.
At a meeting of this organization
in Asheville, Mrs. McKee
said, "We are filled with thankfulness
that we have lived to see
the day when the. South is the
best and safest place in which to
live." She predicted. that the
New South would eclipse all
other sections of the nation
since the foundation had been
laid by men of such sterling
quality.
Continued Fall. 1979
"The Merry Widow"waltz
A Webster Favorite:
continued from Page 1
ster," and elsewhere reported
the ceremony and named the
groom as Oscar B. Coward of
Sylva and the bride as Miss
Emma Long.
ITEM : Editor Tompkins believed
in using the pages of his
newspaper as a medium for
special ' 'bread-and-butter ''
courtesies.
To illustrate: "Mrs. Editress
Tompkins tenders Mrs. Capt.
Leatherwood her thanks for a
nice roll of Golden Drop butter,
the product of her Jersey cow. It
was nice. "
ITEM : By 1903 the young
folks had gone wild over Johann
Strauss' "The Merry Widow
Waltz. " It was all the rage. So
much so that Editor Tompkins
turned poet and aired his feelings.
It's The Merry Widow this
And The Merry Widow that;
It's The Merry Widow kiss,
And The Merry Widow hat.
" It's The Merry Widow craze,
And The Merry Widow dance;
It's The Merry Widow plays,
And The Merry Widow glance.
" It's The Merry Widow dinner,
And The Merry Widow waltz;
It's The Merry Widow sinner,
With The Merry Widow fau lts.
" It's a merry Widow wife,
And a Merry Widow brat;
I've a Merry widow knife,
And a Merry Widow cat.
''And if I die tomorrow,
Why let them play real loud,
The Merry Widow waltz song
For The Merry Widow crowd."
ITEM: J ust around the corner
a sorry fate , was waiting for
Webster. Folks over in Sylva
and down at Dillsboro were
getting ready to gang up and
move the county seat.
But in 1907, Webster was
going its merry way and mighty
proud of its progress.
to Miss Mamie Moore, later
Mrs. Eugene Bearden of Asheville,
for her portrayal of Marion
Warrington, writing that she
"shined out in all the grace and
loveliness of a daughter of the
Old Time South."
"Perhaps one of the best hits
of the even in~. " he said "was
'The Homespun Dress' sung by
Mrs. Holmes Bryson (later of
Asheville) "
ITEM: In '84, Editor Tompkins
announced to his readers
that he had a cow worth 1,000 for his horse," the editor
explained. "Felix Leatherwood
here in Webster has a yoke of
oxen which he wouln't begin to
give for Kope's horse.
"Cole Hall (grandfather of
former Congressman David M
Hall) won't give his dog, Car:
low , for Felix's oxen. Dr. Jim
Candler (grandfather of Dr.
Charles Candler of Asheville)
won't swap dogs with Cole, and
Y?Ur correspondent won't give
h1s red cow for the doctor's dog.
Ergo, the cow is worth greatly
over 7.00, and the
price of dry cleaning, I bought an $85.00 wedding dress. Somehow,
Miss Nan learned of my purchase and she apparently viewed the
situation differently. I later was told that while I walked proudly
down the aisle wearing what I felt to be a very practical,
economical, and beautiful dress, Miss Nan was sitting in the
audience in horror of the whole thing, feeling sorry for me and
lamenting over " what a shame it was that I was getting married in
a 'bargain dress'." Such was the closeness of our one big Webster
fami ly! Continued Next Issue
. , , . ~HISTORIC~
;~~r/' WEBSTEi newsletter ol lheWebsler Historical Society. Inc.
Summer. 1979 Webster, North Carolina 28788
Editor Joe P. Rhinehart
Contributors: Janice Monteith Blanton. Lawrence C. Frizzell.
John Parris, Annie Louise Madison Reed, Isabel Allison
Carlton, Kate Rhinehart, Jenny Hunter
P ~bli shed quarterly by the Webster Historical Society and
prmted by the Herald Publishing Company, Sylva, North
Ca rolina.
Women must be
interested in
politics
" Webster is still in the lead,"
Tompkins wrote. "One of her
progressive citizens, 0. B. Coward,
has put down the first piece
of paved sidewalk ever seen in
Jackson County. He has fin ished
up about 40 feet in front of
his store. "
Webster, North Carolina 28788
no reason for WDmen shying at
politics or politicians. " In these
days the woman who is not interested
in politics is neither an
intelligent_ or patriotic citizen.''
Mrs. McKee was chosen at
the biannual convention of the
Southeastern Co..uncil of
Women's Clubs which met in
Charleston, South Carolina in
1926, as the new president. The
chairmanship of the Council
was second only to the presidency
of the General Feder-
But now 50 years later there's
not a foot of paved sidewalk in
the town that died and only now
is coming back.
ITEM: Folks packed the auditorium
one night in 1908 to see
a cast of local talent present
"Under The Southern Cross", a
moonlight-and-roses epic of the
Civil War.
Editor-turned-drama critic
Tompkins tossed a big bouque
- …
